6 districts get MICTC vehicles

Six mobile Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre (MICTC) vehicles for Kiphire, Phek, Peren, Dimapur, Mokokchung and Zunheboto districts was flagged off by Commissioner & Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Y. Kikheto Sema at the Directorate of Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) Kohima, Saturday.
According to a DIPR report, Sema thanked the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) for recognising the challenges and the need of Nagaland state health service, specially pertaining to difficult terrains and hard to reach areas by taking a herculean step in replacing ten old existing MICTC vehicles.
He said on February 16, 2023, four districts, namely Mon, Longleng, Tuensang, and Noklak received new mobile ICTC vehicles, and added that the remaining Wokha and Kohima districts would be receiving the vehicles within a short period.
Stating that Nagaland was one of the HIV and AIDS epidemics state, Sema said, visualizing the needs of the state, government of India has considered replacing all new vehicles. He informed that these new vehicles come with more responsibility to deliver and so the officials of NCACS shall try to cover every length and breadth of the districts, he said.
Pointing out that Nagaland has an adult HIV prevalence rate at 1.61%, which is the second highest in the country as against the national average of 0.22%, he urged the officers of the department to work together with NGOs in synergy and scale up all efforts to test, treat and educate the masses about this disease as well as other diseases which are envisaged to eliminate by 2030 along the line of SDG Goal.
The keynote address was delivered by Nagaland State AIDS Control Society (NSACS) projector director, Akuo Sorhrie while deputy director, Asenla chaired the programme.