Palakkad to be declared first HIV/AIDS literate district

Palakkad would soon be declared as the first total HIV/AIDS literate district in the country.

Talking to media persons here, district panchayat president T.N. Kandamuthan said a project implemented in the in the last nine months by the district panchayat and voluntary organisation KESS-HAPPI had helped win the title.

The project, Jyothirgamaya, was implemented with the cooperation of 91 grama panchayats and four municipalities in the district. The project was to educate people about AIDS and the need to remove the stigma and discrimination against its victims.

Messages aimed at protecting and bringing the affected to the mainstream of life and rehabilitating them have also been spread.

Under Jyothirgamaya, workers of Asha, Anganwadi and Kudumbasree had distributed pamphlets in every household, conducted awareness classes, quiz contests and rallies.

There was special focus on schools and colleges, he added.