With the year’s theme as ‘Focus, Partner, Achieve: An AIDS-free Generation’, several educational institutions observed World AIDS Day here on Monday, conducting rallies and awareness programmes.
Aiming at zero infections, Delhi Public School at Lawson’s Bay Colony conducted a rally followed by a signature campaign which was flagged off by Joint Collector Pravin Kumar, Controller of Examinations, Andhra University K. Visweswara Rao, and Principal of the school Eshwari Prabhakar. Marking the occasion, red balloons, carrying a message ‘Save the children and keep the promise’, were released.
Medicos of Andhra Medical College took out an awareness rally that aimed at bringing better awareness on the subject. Displaying banners and placards, the procession, led by Principal of the college S.V. Kumar, began from Kali Mata temple to YMCA on the Beach Road. HoD of Microbiology P. Bala Murali Krishna, HoD of Community Medicine Devi Madhuri along with other staff members took part in the rally.
About 70 NCC cadets of Mrs. A.V.N. College took out an awareness rally which was flagged off by Commanding Officer 13 Andhra Battalion NCC Colonel V.N. Bharadwaj. Raising slogans and displaying banners and messages, the rally headed to GVMC from Waltair Main Road. NCC Officer of the college Capt. N. Ramakrishna, Vice-Principal T.L. Rambabu and other faculty members were present.
The NSS unit of Samata College took out an ‘Adolescence Health Education Campaign’.
Emphasising the need not to discriminate those infected with HIV, dispelling myths associated with the infection along with the risks involved in having unsafe sex, the volunteers conducted a rally at MVP Colony.
Principal of the school S. Vijaya Ravindra, director B. Murali Krishna and NSS programme officer G. Venkateswara Rao participated in the rally.
At VSPRashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited, the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, organised a rally at Ukkunagaram.
Director (Personnel) G.B.S. Prasad who flagged off the rally. Children of Ukkunagaram schools participated in the rally with enthusiasm. DGM (Medical & Health) of VSGH D.V.N. Sarma, doctors from the hospital and union leaders D. Adinarayana, N. Rama Rao and Balireddy Satyanarayana participated.