District Collector S.A. Raman flagged off an awareness rally from the Collectorate here on Sunday to mark the observance of World AIDS Day.
Over 500 nursing students from Vinayaka Missions Homeotherapy College, Annapoorna Nursing College, and Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College took part in the rally, carrying placards creating awareness on AIDS prevention. The rally ended at the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital. Officials from the Health Department, Medical Superintendent P.V.Dhanapal and Resident Medical Officer S.Rani also took part in the rally.
‘Communities make the difference’ is the theme of World AIDS Day this year and according to a release from the district administration, Tamil Nadu is one of the severely affected states in India and Salem is one of the districts where the number of HIV affected individuals is high in the State.
In a release, Mr. Raman said that between April and October this year, 1.15 lakh people were screened for HIV and 386 new cases were detected.
He also said that 43,120 pregnant women were screened for HIV this year and 12 new cases were found. According to the release, 15,464 individuals have been identified with HIV in Salem and they have been registered with Antiretroviral Therapy centres at Salem, Omalur and Attur here.
The district administration and the district AIDS prevention and control unit have planned month-long programmes to commemorate World AIDS Day. Sports events for HIV- affected children, debates, matrimony services for persons affected with HIV, distribution of condoms through NGOs at toll plazas and bus stands, awareness programmes in colleges under Periyar University and many others have been planned.
