On the occasion of International Youth Day, the Intensified IEC Campaign program was started in the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee University auditorium on Monday under the aegis of Jharkhand State AIDS Control Committee and Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare Department.

Dr. Tapan Kumar Shandilya, Vice Chancellor of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee University, praised the Jharkhand government for this campaign. He said that through the IEC campaign, the people of Jharkhand, especially the youth, will be made aware about HIV and sexually transmitted diseases. Apart from this, awareness will be spread about the discrimination being done with HIV patients. This campaign will start from 1 September, which will run for 2 months.

Project Director of Jharkhand State AIDS Control Committee, Pawan Kumar said that this campaign will be run at the national level, district level, block level and village level. All the departments related to the campaign are also promoting the campaign, so that the correct information related to HIV reaches the people. He said that HIV infection does not occur by shaking hands or hugging an HIV infected person, nor by wearing the clothes of the infected person or eating with him. Therefore, we have to stop the discrimination against HIV patients and make people aware.

Media personnel were also honoured for their excellent performance on the occasion. Media institutions of the state were requested to publicize this campaign on a wide scale.

On this occasion, Joint Director, CST Jharkhand State AIDS Control Committee Dr. Badal Chand Bhakat, Deputy Director, BSD Satya Prakash Prasad, Additional Project Director, Jharkhand State AIDS Control Committee, Dr. S.S. Paswan, NSS Incharge, DPSMU Dr. Sonali and others were present.