The Regional Institute for HIV Surveillance & Epidemiology (RI-RIMS) inaugurated the Regional Training of Trainers (TOT) for the HIV Sentinel Surveillance (HSS) among High-Risk Groups 2026 and the Integrated Biological and Behavioural Surveillance (IBBS) among PLHIV 2026 at Sushruta Hall, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal, today.
The three-day training programme, scheduled from November 26 to 28, 2025, is being organised by RI-RIMS in collaboration with the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. Participants from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura are taking part in the programme, which seeks to strengthen surveillance mechanisms, build state-level trainer capacity, and improve the quality of data collection for HSS and IBBS across the North East.
The programme was inaugurated by Prof. G. Sunil Kumar Sharma, Director, RIMS Imphal, who attended as the Chief Guest.
In his inaugural address, the Director noted RIMS’ role as a premier institute with strong capacities in community medicine, microbiology, and HIV/MRT services. He acknowledged the participation of delegates and the efforts of the organisers and technical partners. Highlighting the national significance of HIV surveillance, he called on trainers to maintain accuracy, ethics, confidentiality, and professionalism in the face of evolving behavioural trends and post-pandemic challenges. He reaffirmed RIMS’ commitment to research and community health, encouraging collaboration and wishing the training programme success.
The Regional TOT aims to enhance regional capacity for scientifically sound HIV surveillance and epidemiological research, thereby supporting evidence-based public health planning and strengthening the regional HIV response.