The National Centre for AIDS and STD Control (NCASC) under the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) launched a National Public-Private-Partnership Initiative (NPPPI) for HIV response.

The initiative hopes to bring together private sector including NGOs and civil society to leverage for national HIV response.

There are an estimated 39, 249 people living with HIV in Nepal. The prevalence rate in persons with age 15 to 49 years is 0.29 percent in the country. As of July 2015, there are 11,089 people enrolled in  (Antiretroviral Therapy) ART programmes. 

During the event launch, Dr Dipendra Raman Singh, Director of NCASC applauded participation and positive response received for NPPPI and called upon participants from both public and the private sectors to continue their support.

The NCASC also made public strategies to foster Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) for HIV Response in Nepal that provides headway for the partnership in HIV programmes including prevention, care and support programme. The programme is supported by USAID-funded Saath-Saath Project.

Satish Raj Pandey, Chief of Party of Saath-Saath Project said it is possible to achieve the ambitious but attainable goal of ending AIDS by 2030. "There are many successful global PPP initiatives that have contributed to achieving unprecedented success so far in containing the AIDS epidemic," Pandey said.