Legislator calls for public participation in tackling HIV

 
He was speaking after inaugurating a programme organised to mark the ‘World AIDS Day’ in Chikballapur on Tuesday. The programme was jointly organised by the district administration, the Zilla Panchayat, Department of District Health and Family Welfare and Dyapque. The event was also organised to mark ‘Blood Donors Day’ and ‘Voluntary Blood Donation Day.’

K P Bachegowda said, there was need to create more awareness among the general public about the spread of AIDS. There was a need to create awareness on the cautions and precautions to be taken to avoid the spread of AIDS.

Right to live normally

Speaking on the occasion, President of the Zilla Panchayat Vinutha Shrinivas said, the society should provide an opportunity to the AIDS-affected people to lead their lives normally. These people could have become the victims of AIDS, either knowingly or unknowingly, under various circumstances and situations. However, they should be provided with an opportunity to live life like any other person. The public should also realise that AIDS did not spread by merely touching the AIDS victims or by speaking to them. The public should be made aware of the reality picture, only then can they openly accept the AIDS victims, she added.

Workshops emphasised

Another guest, Vice-President of the Zilla Panchayat Chenduru Venkatesh said, more and more workshops should be organised to create awareness about the disease among the public and the elected representatives, he added.

President of the City Municipal Council M Prakash said, in Chikballapur district alone there were more than 360 AIDS-affected people. Efforts should be made by the public and the district administration to ensure that this number did not cross, he added.

To mark the ‘World Blood Donors Day’, a voluntary blood donation camp was organised on the occasion. Suryanarayan Shetty of Surya Nagar, who has created a record by donating blood 104 times and lecturer M Venkatesh, who has donated blood 41 times, were felicitated on the occasion.

Information Centre

An Information Centre on providing awareness on HIV and AIDS was inaugurated at the programme. The Information Centre is jointly opened by Myraid and Paramahamsa institutions. Deputy Commissioner Anwar Pasha stressed that there should be proper awareness on AIDS, but not fear about the disease.

Zilla Panchayat CEO N Krishnappa, President of the District Health Department Employees Association Dr Chandramohan, Secretary of the Indian Red Cross Institute Babu Reddy, Medical Officer of ART Centre Dr S Nagaraj of Chandana Network, Deputy Commissioner A Manjunath and several others were present