The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Students take out awareness rally

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Sunday, Dec 07, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Students take out awareness rally

Staff Reporter

CHENNAI: Thousands of corporation school students participated in a rally organised by the Chennai Corporation in north Chennai on Friday to create awareness among the people of HIV/AIDS.

Addressing the participants, Corporation Commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni said, “Students have to be aware of HIV/AIDS as awareness is crucial in prevention.”

“Small initiatives by students such as insisting on the use of disposable syringe by doctors would help in preventing the spread of the virus,” he said.

He also stressed the need for a blood test before marriage.

“As the 1.3-lakh students of the 313 corporation schools can spread the message of HIV/AIDS prevention to society effectively, we have decided to make optimum use of their potential,” said T.Mohan Kumar, Education officer, Chennai Corporation.

The Corporation has been providing intensive training to a team of five students from standard IX onwards and they will be instrumental in sharing the information to other students.

“As north Chennai has a relatively higher number of people with HIV/AIDS, many initiatives such as the rally have been taken by the Corporation,” said Mr. Mohan Kumar.

“The biggest challenge in creating awareness among students is the reluctance of many elders in speaking about HIV/AIDS to them,” he added.

Many councillors of the Corporation were initially not in favour of creation of awareness among the school students of HIV/AIDS.

But after a seminar was organised recently for the councillors, they have started to support the initiative, said Mr.Mohan Kumar.

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