Chief Minister Siddaramaiah releases posters at the World AIDS Day programme in Bengaluru on Friday. Film actors Prem, Sanjjanaa Galrani and Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao are seen.
Credit: DH Photo/B K Janardhan
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday asserted that citizens and Health Department officials should come together to ensure that Karnataka becomes AIDS-free within the next five years.
Speaking at a programme organised on account of World AIDS Day, Siddaramaiah said that the number of AIDS cases has come down significantly over the last few years.
“The cases have come down and this is a good development. However, we aim to bring it down to zero by 2030 and we have not been able to achieve that. We should work towards getting rid of the disease completely,” he said.
Pointing out that India ranked third in the world in the number of AIDS cases, Siddaramaiah said that it is important to take preventive measures since the disease cannot be cured. There is a need to create awareness about interaction with patients suffering from the disease, he said.
“The disease does not spread by speaking to the patients. It usually spreads through blood. We need to bust such myths and create an inclusive society,” he said.