Kharar (SAS Nagar), December 1, 2025 (Yes Punjab News)
Addressing the state-level World AIDS Day event, Health & Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh urged the youth of Punjab to stay away from drugs, protect themselves from HIV, and immediately stop the sharing of needles.
He further appealed to people living with HIV not to suffer silently due to stigma but to seek timely treatment that enables them to live long, healthy, and productive lives. “HIV is treatable. No one should fear testing or treatment. We must end stigma, encourage awareness, and work collectively to make Punjab HIV-free,” he said. The Minister reaffirmed Punjab’s commitment to controlling HIV by 2030.
The event was organized by the Punjab State AIDS Control Society (PSACS) at Rayat Bahra University, Kharar, under the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Punjab. Dr. Balbir Singh attended as the chief guest, while Special Secretary Health-cum-Project Director PSACS, Shri Ghanshyam Thori, IAS; Chairman-cum-Chancellor of Rayat Bahra University, S. Gurvinder Singh; Group Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Sanjay Kumar; and former MLA, S. Gurpreet Singh GP, joined as special guests.
During the ceremony, 14 organizations and centres that have made outstanding contributions to HIV/AIDS prevention and control were honoured.
Highlighting this year’s theme, “Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response,” Dr. Balbir Singh stressed the need for resilience, innovation, and community participation in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
He noted that the fifth phase of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), launched in 2022, focuses on comprehensive management of HIV, STI, and RTI, with the aim of achieving the “Three 95s”: 95% of people living with HIV knowing their HIV status,
95% of those diagnosed receiving sustained treatment, and 95% of those on treatment achieving viral load suppression. Currently, around 24.67 lakh people in India are living with HIV.
He said that Punjab has taken significant steps in HIV prevention and care. The state operates 115 ICTC centres offering free HIV testing and 25 ART centres providing free antiretroviral therapy to nearly 68,000 individuals. With support from NGOs, 71 targeted intervention units are working across Punjab with high-risk groups such as injecting drug users (IDUs), MSM, transgender persons, truck drivers, and migrants.
To further prevent transmission caused by needle sharing, the state runs 43 Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) centres through government hospitals and NGOs, providing free de-addiction medicines and linking individuals to essential health services.
The Minister further shared that to eliminate discrimination against people living with HIV, the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Act has been implemented in Punjab. Under this, state rules have been enforced, and the civil surgeons of Jalandhar, Patiala, Faridkot, Ferozepur, and Ropar have been appointed as state-level ombudsmen to address discrimination-related complaints. Complaint officers have been designated across various institutions and organizations.
Additional Project Director, PSACS Dr. Vishal Garg, Joint Director (IEC) Mrs. Pawan Rekha Berry, and other officials were also present at the event.
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