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Rajasthan ready for Red Ribbon Express

JAIPUR: The “Red Ribbon Express,” carrying the message of HIV and AIDS awareness, will cover four districts in Rajasthan between December 2 and 10 to evolve an enabling environment to popularise the services and information on the disease and promote safe behaviour among the local communities.

The special train with seven coaches will have stopovers at 180 railway stations during its 9,000-km-long journey across the country. In Rajasthan, according to State Principal Health Secretary R.K. Meena, the train will cover Alwar, Jaipur, Sawai Madhopur and Kota districts. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to flag off the train in New Delhi on December 1, marking World AIDS Day. Mr. Meena said the project, being launched jointly by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and the Union Railway Ministry, is expected to support an increase in accurate knowledge levels about AIDS and promote safe sexual practices.

Volunteers of Nehru Yuvak Kendra travelling aboard the Red Ribbon Express will visit the villages near the stopovers on bicycles and generate awareness about AIDS, besides giving basic information to the rural populace. Two buses carrying educational and publicity material will also accompany the volunteers.

Mr. Meena said three of the seven coaches of the train are proposed to be used for display of educational material, one for interactive orientation and discussions and one for counselling and provision for medical services. One of the coaches will function as a mobile training centre.

In addition to NACO and the Railway Ministry, other institutions pooling their resources, manpower and funds for the project are the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry, the Women and Child Development Department, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, UNICEF, United Nations Development Programme and UNAIDS.

The number of HIV positive persons in Rajasthan is estimated at about 10,700 on the basis of tests conducted since 1990. Nearly 2,200 HIV positive persons are presently getting medical treatment.

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