# Assam Rolls Out Massive 60-Day Statewide Campaign to Fight HIV Spread and Drug Abuse

> Assam has launched a 60-day statewide IEC awareness campaign targeting HIV prevention and drug abuse, covering nearly 3,900 villages and over 700 educational institutions.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Health · **Published:** 2026-08-26 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/health/assam-men-echaaivi-aura-nashili-davaon-ke-khilapha-60-divasiya-rajyavyapi-jagarukata-abhiyana-ki-shuruata-22670 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Assam, HIV Awareness, Ashok Singhal, Dibrugarh, Health Campaign, Rameswar Teli

The Assam State AIDS Control Society, commonly known as ASACS, has officially initiated a comprehensive 60-day intensified Information, Education, and Communication campaign aimed at expanding public awareness regarding HIV prevention and treatment services across Assam. The major statewide initiative was launched on Wednesday during a ceremony conducted at the District Library located in Dibrugarh. This extended public outreach strategy seeks to inform citizens, especially young individuals, about how to protect themselves from transmission while simultaneously dismantling social stigma and educating the public on modern medical care availability.

## State Ministers Highlight Youth Protection and Risks of Drug Abuse
Assam Health and Family Welfare Minister Ashok Singhal inaugurated the program by flagging off a dedicated IEC awareness vehicle designed to travel through different locations and broadcast educational messages. Addressing the assembled audience, Singhal expressed deep concern over the epidemiological trends of HIV within the state, noting that a vast majority of positive cases in Assam are recorded among individuals who inject drugs. He stressed that young people represent the nation's primary resource, warning that if youth lose their way, the broader society suffers. Calling for strong self-control and constructive thinking, the health minister stated, **"Youth are our resources. If the youth goes astray, the society goes astray."** He urged the younger generation to stay completely clear of narcotics and refrain from high-risk physical and mental behaviors that trigger depression and ill health.

Joining the launch as Guest of Honour, Rameswar Teli, who serves as the Minister for Transformation and Development as well as Tea Tribes and Adivasi Welfare, praised the government for organizing the intensive awareness drive. Teli reflected on how medical progress has changed the outlook for infected individuals, recalling a period when effective treatment for HIV was virtually non-existent. Today, therapeutic medicines are readily available to manage the health of people living with HIV. However, he cautioned that prevention remains the most effective defense, emphasizing that individuals can safeguard themselves by abstaining from high-risk practices such as unprotected sexual contact and shared drug injections, which ultimately harm the broader social framework.

## Grassroots Strategy Targets Thousands of Villages and Institutions
Providing details on the operational scope of the initiative, ASACS Project Director Indranoshee Das explained that the 60-day program has been structured to deliver awareness activities directly to grassroots communities throughout Assam. Over the course of two months, the campaign is scheduled to reach approximately 3,900 villages, 500 schools, 200 colleges, 100 government hospitals, alongside multiple urban slum settlements across the state. This massive reach ensures that vital information regarding testing, counseling, and medical therapy penetrates rural and vulnerable urban populations alike.

Reinforcing the messaging directed at students, Sanjib Kakati, Principal of Assam Medical College in Dibrugarh, appealed directly to young people in attendance. He advised them to steer clear of unhealthy habits, warning that engaging in high-risk behaviors poses severe long-term consequences that can destroy personal lives and academic futures.

## Massive Participation and Cultural Programs Mark the Launch
The launch event at Dibrugarh's District Library saw substantial attendance, bringing together more than 1,000 individuals, including students from surrounding schools and colleges, community representatives, and officials from multiple government departments. Prominent leaders attending the ceremony included Khowang MLA Chakradhar Gogoi and Rajya Sabha MP Jogen Mohan, alongside senior state and district-level administrators. Following the official speeches and vehicle flag-off, a series of cultural performances presented by school and college students took place, using artistic routines to engage the audience and reinforce key public health messages.

## What this means for you
**In Assam:** Public awareness regarding free HIV testing, counseling, and medical therapy will expand across more than 3,900 villages, 500 schools, 200 colleges, and 100 government hospitals.

**Across India:** Amid concerns over youth drug reliance and HIV transmission, this initiative underscores the critical importance of grassroots public health education and preventative care.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. Who launched the 60-day HIV awareness campaign in Assam?
The campaign was launched by the Assam State AIDS Control Society (ASACS) and inaugurated by Assam Health and Family Welfare Minister Ashok Singhal in Dibrugarh.

### 2. Which locations and institutions will be covered during the 60-day campaign?
The drive aims to cover approximately 3,900 villages, 500 schools, 200 colleges, 100 government hospitals, and urban slum areas across Assam.

### 3. What primary transmission cause was highlighted during the launch?
Health Minister Ashok Singhal highlighted that the majority of HIV positive cases in Assam occur among injecting drug users.

### 4. Which dignitaries attended the launch event at Dibrugarh?
The launch was attended by Minister Rameswar Teli, Khowang MLA Chakradhar Gogoi, Rajya Sabha MP Jogen Mohan, Assam Medical College Principal Sanjib Kakati, and ASACS Project Director Indranoshee Das.

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