Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Joining hands on AIDS Day

Thiruvananthapuram: A slew of programmes, including poster and folk arts campaigns and candlelight vigil, are being organised by the State government to observe World AIDS Day on December 1. The State-level AIDS Day observance will be inaugurated by Health Minister P. K. Sreemathy at a function to be held at Cotton Hill GHSS.

Ms. Sreemathy will also inaugurate the first School Health Clinic here, an initiative by the Health Department.

It was decided to open the first of these clinics at Cotton Hill school as it has over 5,300 girl students. A full-time doctor and nurse, recruited under the National Rural Health Mission, will function at the school.

Institutions and individuals who have put up commendable performances in the area of HIV prevention and control will be honoured on the occasion.

The Kerala State AIDS Control Society (KSACS) is also organising an exhibition of posters by schoolchildren. A joint exhibition by KSACS and Alliance Francaise de Trivandrum, titled, ‘AIDS: Hope springs from sharing of AIDS Knowledge,’ will be organised at Cotton Hill school.

The Health Minister will pin the red ribbon, which symbolises the fight against AIDS, on Governor R.L. Bhatia at the Raj Bhavan.

The entire Kerala Police force and all employees of KSRTC will also don the red ribbon to mark the day.

A group of folk artistes, empanelled by KSACS, will organise street plays and folk shows, which disseminate the message on HIV awareness and prevention at the Martyrs Column. The group will conclude their show with a performance at Gandhi Park in the evening.

An international expert on HIV, Philippe van der Perre, Professor of Bacteriology-Virology at University of Montpellier, France, will speak on the new strategies for HIV control at the Medical College on Saturday at 2 p.m.

A candlelight campaign is being kicked off by KSACS in association with the traders’ outfits and NGO volunteers in the city to spread the message against HIV. Candles will be lit in front of shops as part of the campaign to symbolise the fight against AIDS.

The Indian Medical Association will have cine actor Mohanlal as the chief guest at its AIDS day programme, in which several HIV-positive persons are also expected to take part.

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