Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society (APSACS) Project Director and Special Secretary (Health, Medical and Family Welfare) G.S. Naveen Kumar formally inaugurated the One-Stop centre at Chenji Plaza located in Bhavani Nagar area of the city and a help desk at SVR Ruia Government General Hospital, for the transgender community.
Setting up these facilities was a key milestone to bringing light in the lives of the transgender community by providing all comprehensive services, he said.
The Voluntary Health Services (VHS) has been implementing VHS–CDC Project Aspire for effective HIV/AIDS prevention in the State since October 2020 under the guidance of National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and APSACS and these facilities are a part of their activity.
Mr. Naveen Kumar suggested naming the centre as ‘Shree Centre’ to minimise stigma and discrimination towards the transgender community in the process of providing health and social inclusion services.
During his visit to the mobile blood transportation bus and model blood bank, he suggested to the blood bank staff to maintain sufficient stock of platelets in view of seasonal dengue fevers.
He visited ART centre and interacted with the users and staff and urged the stakeholders not to use the word ‘patient’ for the PLHIV.
Additional DM&HO Aruna Sulochana Devi, Ruia Superintendent K. Bharathi and VHS Deputy Director Vijaya Raman accompanied him.
