Introduction

Gujarat state is one of the highly industrially developed states in the country. Being an industrialized state, migration of laborers from various parts of India is very high. Mobility and migration of people make them more vulnerable, as a result of separation from spouse and release of social sanctions, leading to high-risk sexual practices and consequently they may contract HIV, which in turn is carried to their spouses and to their children. On the one hand, with an increase in urbanization most of the societies are in transition and the young population is under less social restraint. On the other hand, lower literacy level of rural women, especially in the state and local customs & traditions make women more vulnerable to the infection. Large numbers of women suffer from reproductive tract infections (RTIs), which are mainly due to poor sexual hygiene especially during menstruation and sexually transmitted infections from their spouses.

The first AIDS patient in Gujarat was diagnosed in 1986. Gujarat came into middle level prevalence as early as 1994 along with Tamil Nadu, due to high vulnerability of the State. However Gujarat State is still at medium level prevalence, whereas Tamil Nadu and other states like Maharastra, Andhra Pradesh. Karnataka, Manipur and Nagaland have moved into high prevalence

To respond to the menace of HIV in the State, State AIDS Cell (SAC) was created in December-1992 for implementation of phase I of National AIDS Control Programme. The implementation of the program was done by the State AIDS Cell in accordance with the guidelines of National AIDS Control Organization and the approval of the State Empowered Committee constituted for the purpose at the State level.

With a view to ensure speedy and effective implementation of the programme through inter - sectoral coordination for AIDS prevention, and also to involve NGOs, the State AIDS Empowered Committee decided to convert the existing State AIDS Cell into a registered society. Government of India had also advised to constitute State AIDS Control Society for effective implementation of the programme, especially the second phase beginning from April 1999. Since then National AIDS Control Programme is being implemented through State AIDS Control Society.