DAPCU-DISHA

India's National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) is globally acclaimed as a success story. The NACP, launched in 1992, is being implemented as a comprehensive programme for the prevention and control of HIV/ AIDS in India. Over time, the focus ranges from raising awareness to behaviour change, from a national response to a more decentralised response and to increase involvement of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) and networks of People Living with HIV (PLHIV).

The first three phases of the NACP have effectively controlled the HIV / AIDS epidemic in the country by adopting the National AIDS Prevention and Control Policy (2002), scaling up Targeted Interventions (TIs) for Key Population (KP) and vulnerable risk groups in high prevalence State and the National Blood Policy. In addition to these policies, counselling, testing, Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV and Syphilis (EMTCT) and Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) programmes have been introduced along with setting up of the National Council on AIDS (NCA). The State AIDS Control Societies (SACS) policy in all the States initiate community involvement, ownership in developing appropriate strategies and in reaching out to high-risk and vulnerable populations.

The NACP - III aimed at scaling up prevention efforts among KPs and general population and integrating them with care, support & treatment services. This phase further mainstreamed prevention and care services with decentralised district level co-ordination and monitoring by introducing the District AIDS Prevention and Control Units (DAPCU). The strategic information management and institutional strengthening activities provided required technical, managerial, and admin-istrative support for implementing the core activities under NACP - III at the National, State and district levels. The capacities of State AIDS Control Societies (SACS) and DAPCUs were strengthened. Technical Support Units (TSUs) were established at the National and State level to assist in the programme monitoring and technical areas.

The NACP IV aimed to build on the achievements of previous years and reduce new infections by 50% (2007 Baseline of NACP - III) and provide comprehensive care and support to all PLHIV and treatment services for all those who require it. NACP - IV also aimed to further strengthen the process of decentralising the rollout of services including integrating HIV services with health systems in a phased manner. It also envisaged main streaming of HIV/ AIDS activities with all key Central/State level Ministries/ departments with a high priority and leveraging the resources of the respective departments. Furthermore, social protection mechanisms for PLHIV were strengthened. NACP - IV witnessed the launch of test and treat, differentiated service delivery models, revamped TI structure, expansion of public sector viral load labs; involvement of communities around mapping and population size estimates and the formation of Community Resource Group (CRG) with Community System Strengthening (CSS), HIV / AIDS Act 2017. With this launch, community engagement, which is always a part of the programme has become even stronger now.

Key recommendations of the evaluation of NACP Phase- IV and Extension Period also recommended the establishment of a 'Strategic Unit' at NACO to focus on programme management and leverage the presence of District AIDS Prevention and Control Units (DAPCUs) to monitor the HIV programme across priority districts. To make it simpler and for better understanding, DAPCU are now known as DISHA Units.