Awareness campaigns play key role in reducing HIV/AIDS prevalence, says Collector

NTR District Collector emphasizes success of HIV/AIDS awareness programs, launches 'Do You Know?' campaign for youth education.

The number of HIV/AIDS cases has seen a drastic decline in the past 30 years, thanks to the awareness programmes taken up by the Central and State governments, said NTR District Collector G. Srijana, while also emphasising the vital role played by these programmes in reducing the infection prevalence.

After launching the intensified IEC (Information, Education and Communication) campaign, titled ‘Do You Know?’, at P.B. Siddhartha College of Arts and Science on August 12 (Tuesday) to raise awareness among the youth about HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), Ms. Srijana said it is important to follow safe practices such as using contraceptives to keep the virus at bay.

The two-month programme, organised jointly by the National AIDS Control Society and Andhra Pradesh State Aids Control Society (APSACS), is part of the country-wide celebrations of International Youth Day on August 12.

She said that the campaign will educate the public about how the disease is spread, how it can be prevented, when to get tested, how to get help and how to live with it. She added that one can dial the tollfree number 1097, a national helpline, for more information and services.

APSACS Joint Director Kameswar Prasad said they have decided a theme for every week for the next two months. The primary aim of the campaigns is to educate people about the do’s and don’ts regarding STIs, he said. Later, the Collector released flyers to intensify campaigns on the awareness programmes.