Non-Governmental organisations have made significant contribution in the health sector by their innovative genius in the areas of health, family welfare and in arresting the spread of communicable diseases. It is essential to continue to encourage the involvement of the voluntary sector in HIV/AIDS. The National AIDS Control Programme has recognised the importance of NGO participation in the Programme for providing community support to people living with AIDS and their families and for providing the required care and counseling. NGOs bring with them their experience of community level work in enhancing people's participation, interpersonal approach and sensitivity, creativity and feasibility and thus benefit the HIV/AIDS programme tremendously. NACO has formulated specific guidelines for the involvement of NGOs in the NACP.

In view of the need to expand the responses to the new challenges thrown by the spread of the disease across the country, it is necessary to update and revise the guidelines for involvement of NGOs in the programme. The experience of both sides has been mixed so long. While there have been a number of successful programmes undertaken by NGOs for generation of awareness, provision of counseling facilities and intervention projects among commercial sex workers and other groups, there have also been occasions of failures by newly -formed NGOs due to lack of proper perspective. Very few grassroots NGOs are coming forward to participate in the AIDS Control Programme.

On the Government side NGOs have been encountering the problem of structural and other constraints like lack of reciprocation from officials at various levels. There is also lack of uniformity in the approach and performance of various State Governments and adequate orientation among Govt. Officials towards the role of NGOs in the NACP. There are delays in handling NGO cases which sometimes leads to decline of interest and withdrawal on the part of the NGOs. Delay in disbursement of funds and over-emphasis on utilisation of finances rather than on impact assessment of the work done are also some of the serious flaws in the system of NGO financing.

Government recognises all these constraints and commits itself to large scale involvement and participation of NGOs/CBOs in NACP in the following manner:

1. Involvement of NGOs at the policy making level through regular interaction and adequate representation at the National AIDS Committee
2. Enlarging their participation to new areas like provision of medical facilities including home-based care, opening of hospices, etc. apart from the conventional areas of awareness and counseling.
3. Government will put in greater efforts to undertake training and capacity building programmes for the NGOs to empower them to take up these additional responsibilities
4. Guidelines issued by NACO for involvement of NGOs will be revised and updated to facilitate greater participation of NGOs in NACO programmes and for reduction of bureaucratic delays in NGO financing
5. Government will encourage networking among NGOs to avoid duplication of efforts in some of the areas. Efforts will be made to identify nodal NGOs in different States for coordinating the work of all the NGOs working in that area. Governments also need to address the problem of motivation among Government officials towards involvement of NGOs in the programme.