Various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and institutions took out awareness rallies across the city on Saturday to raise awareness and lay emphasis on the prevention aspects on HIV and AIDS on World AIDS day, which is observed on December 1.
Karuna Bal Vikas, an NGO working for the welfare of children living below the poverty line (BPL), conducted an awareness programme at Town Hall.
Hundreds of children between the 12 to 18 age group formed a human chain.
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Project coordinator Jaison Thomas said: “We have told them about the preventive aspects associated with HIV, emphasising that they should not discriminate against people living with HIV.”
In another rally organised by the Bangalore Multipurpose Social Service Society and Sacred Hearts Girls College, students from different schools and colleges took out a rally. The theme of the programme was Getting to Zero, with zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.
Parthana, a doctor from St. Johns Medical College, gave a talk. Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS) volunteers were present at the event.
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Cancelled
Meanwhile, various programmes that were to be organised by the Department of Health and Family Welfare in association with KSAPS and National Aids Control Organisation were cancelled as a seven-day mourning was declared in the country following the demise of the former Prime Minister I.K. Gujral.