Dimapur, August 12 (MExN): The 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) is underway at the Bali International Convention Centre at Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia from 9th-13th August 2009. The delegates from Nagaland is led by Kuzholuzo Neinu, Minister for Health & Family Welfare and includes Dr Neiphi Kire Project Director NSACS, Dr. Bernice Dzuvichu Joint Director (TI) NSACS and Dr Beizo.
According to a press note issued by Dr. Bernice Dzuvichu, at the Congress, Kuzholuzo Neinu called for international response to HIV/AIDS interventions particularly in the rural areas and across the Indo-Myanmar border. Neinu voiced the need for inter-governmental and non-governmental response and collaboration in rural areas for scaling up services to rural communities in combating HIV/AIDS. Neinu further called upon international agencies to evolve a comprehensive cross-border HIV/AIDS intervention and prevention program along the Indo-Myanmar international border urgently and suggested a bilateral information and resource sharing between India and Myanmar. He reiterated the border to be one of the root causes for impacting HIV prevalence in the state.
The Congress was formally inaugurated by the President of the Republic of Indonesia and is being attended by about 4000 delegates’ representing health care professionals, public policy leaders, community advocates, activists, researchers and journalist from 65 countries. The congress is the biggest biennial meeting and second largest forum on HIV/AIDS in the world today.
