Integrated Bio-Behavioural Surveillance (IBBS) among People Living with HIV/AIDS is being implemented nationwide for the first time in India by National AIDS Control Organization (NACO). The surveillance has been planned to monitor the level and trend of HIV/AIDS-related behaviours, service uptakes, and co-morbidities among PLHIV. Data collection has been completed at selected ART centres from February 2024 in the states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. RI AIIMS Jodhpur is providing the technical support and supervision of the activities in the state of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in coordination with State AIDS Control Society (SACS) and National AIDS Control Organization (NACO).
Training and Surveillance Activity

Tracking HIV/STI Trends:
The 2024-2025 Integrated Bio-Behavioural Surveillance (IBBS) is set to monitor HIV and STI prevalence and risk behaviours among key high-risk groups across India. Expanding Our Reach: This year's surveillance introduces a new component, adding depth to our understanding of the unique challenges faced by Female Sex Workers (FSWs), Men who have Sex with Men (MSMs), Injecting Drug Users (IDUs), and Hijra/Transgender (H/TG) individuals.

GuidingTargeted Interventions:
By identifying emerging trends, IBBS will provide critical data to inform evidence-based interventions, ensuring more effective HIV/STI prevention and care strategies.

Phased Rollout Across States:
The surveillance will be implemented in phases across selected states, ensuring comprehensive data collection and coverage. Strengthening National Response: IBBS 2024-2025 will play a key role in shaping the future of HIV/STI policies and programs, contributing to a healthier, more resilient India. Training and Surveillance Activity
Training and Surveillance Activity

The pilot study to assess the feasibility of carrying out IBBS among CFSWs, and to compare the effectiveness of three different participant recruitment approaches for engaging male clients in the IBBS study. The specific aim is to use the findings from the pilot study to inform the selection of the most effective recruitment strategy for clients in the larger-scale IBBS study, planned for implementation after the pilot phase. The pilot study is planned in Kolkata, Orissa, and Rajasthan.
Training and Surveillance Activity

Mortality surveillance among PLHIV under the IESE framework of NACP has been initiated to measure the trend of AIDS-related deaths among the total reported deaths among PLHIV registered at ARTC under NACP, and to identify the causes of death among PLHIV registered at ARTC under NACP. The surveillance was initiated in six states, and later, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu were also included. The survey is currently ongoing in all the states.
Training and Surveillance Activity

HIV Sentinel Surveillance is a biennial survey conducted to assess the trend of the prevalence of HIV at the sentinel sites all over India. The HIV Sentinel Surveillance for High-Risk Group aand Bridge Population 2023 – 2024 was completed all over India. RI AIIMS Jodhpur is providing the technical support and supervision of the activities in the state of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in coordination with State AIDS Control Society (SACS) and National AIDS Control Organization (NACO).

HIV Sentinel Surveillance is a biennial survey conducted to assess the trend of the prevalence of HIV at the sentinel sites all over India. The HIV Sentinel Surveillance for High-Risk Group aand Bridge Population 2023 – 2024 was completed all over India. RI AIIMS Jodhpur is providing the technical support and supervision of the activities in the state of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in coordination with State AIDS Control Society (SACS) and National AIDS Control Organization (NACO).HIV Sentinel Surveillance (HSS) is a cornerstone of India's second-generation HIV surveillance, one of the largest globally. It tracks HIV trends across various population groups, including pregnant women (ANC) and, since 2019, prison inmates. The inclusion of prisoners marked a significant expansion of the National AIDS and STD Control Programme (NACP). In the 2024-25 HSS Plus round, surveillance will be conducted at 66 central prison sites across 26 States/UTs, collecting bio-behavioral data from 18,809 inmates. This round also includes 889 ANC sites, where 400 participants per site will be assessed, with informed consent obtained. Biomarker testing will cover HIV, Syphilis, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and a pilot HIV Incidence test, enhancing the surveillance’s comprehensiveness.
Training and Surveillance Activity

The programmatic mapping and population size estimation (p-MPSE) of clients of sex workers have been completed in the selected districts. Under the Regional Institute, AIIMS Jodhpur, Indore district in Madhya Pradesh, was chosen, and the data collection has now been over covered 300 hotspots and 541 interviews. RI officials conducted 30 backchecks at the hotspots to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the data collected during the initial phase.
Training and Surveillance Activity

UNAIDS and WHO have been working with the East West Centre in a collaborative project with local partners to pilot estimation of HIV program impacts using AIDS Epidemic Model in India. NACO and UNAIDS is working along with ICMR NIMS and RI in the base models for the states of Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland. This will support evidence based impact analysis and will provide essential starategic information to the stakeholders and policy makers to contain HIV epidemics and mitigate their impacts. District-level HIV Burden Estimation provides the latest status of the HIV epidemic on key parameters of HIV prevalence, new infections, AIDS-related mortality and PMTCT needs for districts in India. Based on key epidemiological parameters, the districts were grouped into priority categories to inform programme planning and resource allocation. The exercise was carried out jointly by NACO and the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Medical Statistics (ICMR-NIMS) (New Delhi) under the guidance of NACO’s National Working Group. The members of the working group comprised of experts in demography, epidemiology, statistics, etc. coming from National and Regional Institutes (RIs) for HIV Surveillance and Epidemiology, independent technical experts and State AIDS Control Societies (SACSs).

Publications on the NACO Website




• India HIV Estimates 2022: Technical Report
• NACO Stigma Handbook
• SANKALAK, Status of National AIDS & STD Response, 5th edition (2023)
• SANKALAK, Status of National AIDS & STD Response, 4th edition (2022)
• SANKALAK, Status of National AIDS & STD Response, 3rd edition (2021)
• SANKALAK, Status of National AIDS & STD Response, 2nd edition (2020)
• SANKALAK, Status of National AIDS & STD Response, 1st edition (2017)
• ANC HSS 2021: Technical Report
• Central Prisons 2021: Technical Report
• India HIV Estimates 2021: Fact Sheet
• The HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017 - English
• The HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017 - Hindi

1. IAPSM RAJCON, Jodhpur, Rajasthan RI (S&E) AIIMS Jodhpur in coordination with National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) has participated in the Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine, Rajasthan Chapter, conducted by Dr. S.N. Medical College, Jodhpur from 15th – 17th December 2023.
Plenary Session: Plenary Session on “Strategic Information under National AIDS & STD Control Programme” chaired by Dr. Chinmoyee Das along with other dignitaries.
Date: 15-17 December 2023.
Oral Presentations: Presentations were made by RI team members.