Shimla (PTI): The Himachal Pradesh Government has set up a free tele-counselling centre linked with AIDS control units across the state in order to strengthen the awareness campaign against the killer desease, official sources said.

The tele-counselling centre was set up in the office of state AIDS Control Society yesterday on the occasion of World AIDS Day, a Health department official said here on Tuesday.

Free counselling facility on AIDS would be available on toll free number 1299 from 10 AM to 5 PM on any working day, the official said.

HP has at present 477 full blown AIDS cases, while the number of HIV positive persons is 2,511.

The highest number of 106 AIDS cases in the state are in Hamirpur, the Chief Minister P K Dhumal's home district, followed by Shimla with 93 and Mandi with 91.