The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Treat AIDS patients with sensitivity: Jayakumar

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 02, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Treat AIDS patients with sensitivity: Jayakumar

Staff Reporter

Inaugurates automatic condom vending machine in city Inaugurates automatic condom vending machine in city

PLAY IT SAFE: D. Jayakumar, Minister for Information Technology and Law, inaugurating an automatic condom vending machine in Chennai on Thursday at a function organised by the Chennai Corporation AIDS Control and Prevention Society. M.P. Vijayakumar, Corporation Commissioner (right) looks on. Photo: M. Vedhan

CHENNAI: The Chennai Corporation AIDS Prevention and Control Society (CAPACS) set up an automatic condom vending machine on Thursday, in connection with World AIDS Day.

D. Jayakumar, Minister for Law and Information Technology, who inaugurated the machine said: "Once upon a time, small pox was a great threat to our society. Later, it was eradicated. In five years, we will definitely fiund preventive vaccines to combat AIDS."

Mr. Jayakumar said the awareness levels were high. Society should treat AIDS patients with sensitivity and induce confidence in them.

Around 500 vending machines will be installed in theatres, hotels, railway stations and other public places. In all, 1,500 vending machines will be installed in the State, he said.

"Our approach to controlling AIDS should be early diagnosis, treatment and spreading the message," said Chennai Corporation Commissioner M.P. Vijayakumar.

"The need for condoms is evident from the high percentage of people who contract AIDS as a result of unsafe sex," said D. Rajasekar of Hindustan Latex Limited. A packet of condoms could be obtained from the vending machine by dropping a five-rupee coin.

To mark the day, messages aimed at spreading AIDS awareness were put up on all MTC buses. Milk packets also carried such messages.

The Fisheries Department dedicated three motorboats to display awareness messages on the Marina.

Panel discussion

Several government and non-governmental organisations on Thursday observed World Aids Day.

The Rotary Club of Madras Chenna Patna organised a panel discussion on AIDS awareness. Moderated by Revathy Shankaran, it featured Rajkumar, Jaya Sridhar, P. Krishnamurthy, Nina Reddy and Girija Seshadri. J.S. Rajkumar, chairman, Rigid Hospitals Limited, was honoured for his outstanding service to HIV/AIDS patients.

Exhibitions

Southern Railway put up exhibitions on AIDS awareness at the Central station and the Moore Market Complex suburban terminal. A meeting was organised at the Southern Railway Headquarters. Various other programmes were held in several divisions across the city.

The Indian Community Welfare Organisation, a non-governmental organisation working for the cause of AIDS patients, lit a huge candle to pay respects to those who had succumbed to AIDS. David T. Hopper, Consul General of the U.S., launched a nutrition programme for sex workers' children affected with HIV/AIDS.

Shri. Natesan Vidyalaya Matric Higher Secondary School, Mannivakkam, organised a lecture on `AIDS awareness' by executive vice-principal Pratima Viswanathan. Pamphlets carrying awareness messages were distributed to the public.

The Francois-Xavier Bagnoud India Society organised competitions for school children.

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