The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Joint efforts bring down HIV incidence: Minister

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Thursday, Dec 27, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Joint efforts bring down HIV incidence: Minister

Special Correspondent

Trust seeks government aid to continue project

— Photo: D. Gopalakrishnan

CARING FOR THE VICTIM’S KIN: Food Minister E.V. Velu distributing an educational kit to the child of an AIDS victim at a function organised in Tiruvannamalai on Wednesday. .

TIRUVANNAMALAI: Food Minister E.V. Velu on Wednesday attributed the reduction in the incidence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in Tamil Nadu to the joint efforts of the government and the non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Distributing educational kits to the children of AIDS victims, who had died, at a function organised by CORA (Community Oriented Rehabilitation Association) Trust at the Sweet Children Home in Sambandanur on Wednesday, Mr. Velu said the incidence of AIDS in Tamil Nadu had come down from 1.13 per cent to 0.38 per cent over the last five years. The reduction has been revealed by the results obtained through the testing of 11.6 lakh people, including 6.5 lakh pregnant mothers in 760 integrated testing and counselling centres in Tamil Nadu.

The Minister said the government played a leading role in making the reduction possible by selling condoms at all 28,000 fair price shops in the State. The nearly eight-lakh members of 30,000 women’s self-help groups were educated about HIV/AIDS and this too contributed to the reduction in the incidence. Providing nutritious food strengthened the immunity of pregnant mothers, he added.

Mr. Velu praised the Trust for taking care of AIDS orphans through home care and community care at a time when the relatives of the children neglected them.

He promised to consult the Minister concerned and try to get government grant for the Trust to enable it to run the home successfully.

The Spanish organisation, Anesvad, which was supporting the CORA project, recently withdrew support.

Sylvester Chandra, founder-secretary of the CORA Trust, said the Trust has conducted more than 1,000 AIDS awareness camps since it was started in 1995. The CORA Trust was struggling without funds as the Spanish agency stopped funding the project from April.

He requested the Tamil Nadu government to help the trust in continuing the project.

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