Rallies, meetings mark World AIDS Day

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Source: The Hindu (http://www.hinduonnet.com/2009/12/02/stories/2009120251670300.htm)
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Rallies, meetings mark World AIDS Day


Staff Reporter

Sportsmen and others take part in mini-marathon held on the occasion


— Photo: Ashoke Chakrabarty

AWARENESS RUN: Participants in a mini-marathon on World AIDS Day in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.


BERHAMPUR: A ‘Suchana yatra’ aimed at motivating migrant labourers to come out for HIV tests was flagged off from the city on Tuesday as part of the World AIDS Day.
The ‘yatra’ would travel through ten migration-prone blocks of Ganjam district, the most HIV-prone area of Orissa. Ganjam houses more than half of the HIV positive persons of Orissa. Most of them are migrant labourers from rural areas. The blocks to be covered are Hinjli, Purushottampur, Khallikote, Kodala, Kavisuryanagar, Aska, Shergarh, Polasara, Sanakhemundi and Digapahandi. The social activists travelling with the yatra would especially try to focus on the pregnant women. Wives of migrant labourers usually get infected by HIV from their husbands. The motivators would try to make the families of migrant labourers end their inhibition regarding HIV test as it would save others including their progenies should not be inhibited.
The ‘yatra’ is a joint effort of Zilla Swasthya Samiti, District AIDS Prevention and Control Unit, Aruna, TSRDS and Action Aid. The activists of these organisations also lit up candles in the form of a large red ribbon in front of the Berhampur Railway Station in the evening. The aim was to create awareness regarding HIV infection among the migrant labourers waiting at the station to board Puri-Ahmedabad express for Gujarat.

Student rally
Rallies, signature campaigns and public meetings were also held in the city for AIDS awareness. Students and social activists took out a march with placards promoting safe sex. The students of the MKCG Medical College also took out a separate rally for the purpose. A mini-marathon was also organised by the Oriya daily, The Suryaprabha. The run started and ended in the Khallikote Autonomous College Stadium. Sportsmen of the city took part in this mini-marathon. A public meeting was also held in the city town hall in the morning for AIDS awareness.
KORAPUT: World AIDS Day was observed by the district administration with the support of various organisations here on Tuesday.
While a mini marathon was organised by SOVA and Talents College, a rally by students was taken out in the town by Lepra Society in collaboration with Ekta and the CDMO’s office.
Addressing a meeting held on the CDMO’s office campus, district Collector Gadadhar Parida highlighted the need to explore innovative methods for spreading the message on the cause and precaution that was to be taken to prevent the spread HIV.
Rabinarayan Das, CDMO, and others spoke.

Blood donated
While several programmes were held in the district, more than 70 students donated blood at a camp held in Semiliguda College to mark the occasion.


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