J.V.R. Prasada Rao
Former Health Secretary, Government of India, J.V.R. Prasada Rao worked extensively in health sector during and after his retirement from Government in 2004.He served as the Director of the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare 1997 to 2002. Prasada Rao led the organization in an unprecedented response to HIV/AIDS with multi stakeholder involvement. From 2002 to 2004 he served as the Secretary in the Health &FW Ministry and was instrumental in bringing out a National Health Policy and a National AIDS Control Policy in 20Read More...
Former Health Secretary, Government of India, J.V.R. Prasada Rao worked extensively in health sector during and after his retirement from Government in 2004.He served as the Director of the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare 1997 to 2002. Prasada Rao led the organization in an unprecedented response to HIV/AIDS with multi stakeholder involvement. From 2002 to 2004 he served as the Secretary in the Health &FW Ministry and was instrumental in bringing out a National Health Policy and a National AIDS Control Policy in 2002.
In 2005, Prasada Rao moved to Bangkok to head the Asia Pacific regional office of UNAIDS and worked until 2009. He served as Member Secretary of two independent commissions on AIDS to critically look at the dynamics of the epidemic and its socioeconomic implications to the region. He initiated several measures at decentralization of work to countries and in resource mobilization for the programmes.
After his return from Bangkok, Prasada Rao was appointed as the Special Envoy on AIDS for Asia Pacific region by the Secretary General, United Nations. He interacted closely with political leaders including Presidents and Prime Ministers of countries in the region for prioritizing AIDS control in the national plans and strategies. He also functioned as the Commissioner Secretary of a Global Commission on HIV and Law initiated by UNDP.
Prasada Rao joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1967 and held number of important assignments in West Bengal, his state of allotment. He served as Collector in sensitive districts like Burdwan, Nadia and Hooghly in challenging political environments like the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971 and land reforms movements in the state. He served in senior positions in two scientific ministries of Government of India, the Department of Atomic Energy and the Department of Ocean Development.
Prasada Rao hails from Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh. He did his postgraduation in Nuclear Physics from Andhra University, Visakhapatnam in 1964.He has three children who all live in the US. He lives in Bangalore with his wife.
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