The Hindu : National : Postmen roped in for AIDs awareness campaign

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Postmen roped in for AIDs awareness campaign

Shimla: Alarmed by the large number of HIV/AIDs cases in the state, the Himachal Pradesh Government has launched a comprehensive awareness drive as a preventive measure and has roped in postmen for the purpose.

As part of the action plan, about 175 postmen have been given lessons on HIV/AIDs so that they can make the people aware about the dreaded disease while delivering posts, Project Director, State AIDs Control Society, Sulakshana Puri said on Sunday.

These postmen have been informed about the safeguards against the dreaded disease and also about the facilities available with the state for protection from the disease.

Expressing hope that these postmen could motivate people to go for HIV/AIDs tests, Ms Puri informed that of the 70 postmen who attended the special class, 40 volunteered to go for the test themselves.

As per official figures from 1992 till January this year, 2653 HIV cases have been reported from the state of which 506 later developed AIDs.

Kangra, largest district of the state and Hamirpur district, native place of Chief Minister P K Dhumal, have topped the chart for the number of HIV/AIDs cases in the state. For creating awareness about the disease among the youth and students, government has opened 235 red ribbon clubs in different educational institutes in the state. Of these 75 are in schools. - PTI

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