Under NACP–II, focus was given on low-cost care, support and treatment of common OIs. Apart from further improving the availability, accessibility and affordability of ART treatment to the poor, NACP-III plans to strengthen family and community care through psycho-social support to the individuals, more particularly to the marginalised women and children affected by the epidemic, improve compliance of the prescribed ART regimen, and address stigma and discrimination associated with the epidemic.

Care and Support for Children

 Approximately 50,000 children below 15 years are infected by HIV every year. So far, care and support response to these children was at a very minimal level. NACP–III plans to improve this through early diagnosis and treatment of HIV exposed children; comprehensive guidelines on paediatric HIV care for each level of the health system; special training to counsellors for counselling HIV positive children; linkages with social sector programmes for accessing social support for infected children; outreach and transportation subsidy to facilitate ART and follow up, nutritional, educational, recreational and skill development support, and by establishing and enforcing minimum standards of care and protection in institutional, foster care and community-based care systems