The Network of Naga People living with HIV and AIDS (NNP+) and its District Level Networks (DLNs) have resolved to observe World AIDS Day 2023 without Nagaland State AIDS Control Society (NSACS) and District AIDS Prevention & Control Unit (DAPCU). In a press release, NNP+ criticized NSACS for undermining the Collective Networks and has informed that they will be observing the important day on their own capacity for which the theme for 2023 is coincidently “Let Communities Lead”.

NNP+ mentioned that People Living with HIV (PLHIV) Networks are being used “just for mere attendance” and “showpiece” in various programs, violating the very principle of Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV and AIDS (GIPA). “While the global body had been moving towards achieving this GIPA principle, it is disheartening that NSACS on the contrary is drifting away from this”, NNP+ stated in its press release.

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Describing the turn of events as “unfortunate”, NNP+/DLNs claimed that it had taken the matter with NSACS in the past too, requesting the later to meaningfully involve the PLHIV communities at all levels. However, the current activities undertaken by NSACS has systematically sidelined the PLHIV Networks again, it said.

“No more tokenism”, it added while informing that the Collective Networks have already begun in several districts in Nagaland for World AIDS Day 2023 without NSACS and DAPCU.