Chennai, July 9 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu State Aids Control Society (Tansacs) Wednesday launched a programme to fund and technically support operational research in the area of HIV/Aids. “The need was felt for evidence-based practices to improve HIV/AIDS programmes,” said Supriya Sahu, project director of Tansacs.

As the HIV/Aids epidemic matures, the need for evidence-based practices to improve programmes has increased, she explained.

“Tansacs seeks to establish itself as a agency to support and to provide technical supervision for HIV/Aids Operational Research,” she added.

This will be in the form of five grants awarded each year, and each can be of up to Rs.500,000. Priority will be given to proposals that can be directly translated into Tamil Nadu’s AIDS control programme in a timely and sustainable manner.

“The aim is to foster programmatically relevant, high quality public-health operations. Research that leads to effective, enhanced, and evidence-based programme policies and practices in HIV/Aids prevention, care, support and treatment in Tamil Nadu,” an official said.

The support announcement was made by Minister for Health and Family Welfare M.R.K. Panneerselvam.