Staff Reporter
Kurnool district has 17,000 AIDS-affected persons
‘Vimukti’ infusing confidence among patients in villages
Blood screening centres set up in
all mandals
KADAPA: Kadapa Zilla Parishad Chairperson D. Jyothi Reddy on Saturday called upon people living with HIV-AIDS (PLHA) to live with self-confidence without feeling dejected.
Addressing a seminar on ‘socio-economic and health care support’ for people living with HIV-AIDS organised by Vimukti Positive Network at IMA hall here, she exhorted people to treat them with kindness and not view them as outcasts. AIDS-infected too yearned to live and take care of their children. She advised them to undergo regular treatment and assured them assistance under welfare programmes.
A patient Sameera founded an organisation, Vimukti, for serving those suffering from the dreaded disease, Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer P. Durga Prasad said. The organisation was spreading awareness in the villages. Infusing confidence among those affected was essential, he said.
Preventive steps
AIDS Control Officer Subbarayudu said the district had 17,000 AIDS-affected persons.
The Government was taking preventive measures. Blood testing centres had been set up in all mandals, he said and exhorted people to undergo tests without inhibition. PLHAs narrated their woes at the meeting. Earlier, they took out a rally from Vimukti office to IMA hall. Kadapa DMHO Venkataramana Reddy, RIMS Superintendent P. Bhanumathi Devi and Vimukti president S. Sameera participated.
