Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

From Chennai to Kanyakumari, spreading message of safety

Anasuya Menon

Private sector should provide facilities to treat HIV patients Private sector should provide facilities to treat HIV patients

CORRECT WAY: The members of motorcycle expedition from D.G. Vyshnav College, Chennai, performing a street play in Udhagamandalam on Friday. - Photo: D. Radhakrishnan

Coimbatore : A group of students from Chennai is on a motorcycle mission. They will travel to Kanyakumari and return to Chennai creating awareness about HIV/AIDS. By performing street plays, distributing pamphlets and singing at public places, they aim to spread awareness on prevention and control of HIV/AIDS.

In Coimbatore, they performed in association with a team of NCC cadets and members of the Junior Red Cross of SNR Sons College at the Gandhipuram bus stand.

Organised by the Tamil Nadu State Aids Control Society and the NCC, Madras Group `A' of D.G Vaishnav College, Chennai, the programme is not just about prevention of the disease. It is also about dispelling misconceptions people have about HIV/AIDS.

"It is about making them aware of the fact that the time gap between HIV infection and AIDS can be prolonged by proper nutrition and care," says Santhosh Baboo, Senior Lecturer, D.G Vyshnav College, who leads the team. The lack of awareness about HIV/AIDS is appalling, says S.A Hariharan, a first year student of Visual Communication of D.G Vyshnav College.

"A few people in places like Thiruchendur and Cuddalore wanted the Government to close all the open drains for they were under the assumption that the disease spread through mosquitoes. Such is the level of ignorance," he lamented.

To be documented

Two students of visual communication are part of the 18-member team to document the programme and prepare a 30-minute footage of it. "The Government is doing a lot in the prevention and spread of the disease. But, the private sector should also come forward in providing facilities for treatment and care of HIV positive people," Mr. Santhosh said.

The group will cover Trichy, Ramnad, Nagercoil, Kanyakumari, Madurai, Udhagamandalam, Trichengodu, Namakkal, Salem, Dharmapuri and Vellore before returning to Chennai on February 24.

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