With an aim to sensitise general public about HIV/AIDS, the UT Administration has started organising awareness programmes at the popular places of Chandigarh.
In its ongoing awareness drive, Chandigarh State AIDS Control Society organised an awareness programme on HIV/AIDS at Elante Mall in Industrial Area here on Friday.Dr Vanita Gupta, Project Director, Chandigarh State AIDS Control Society (SACS) said, “The new air conditioned Elante Mall is a popular place frequented by people of all sections especially the youth. Hence, an awareness programme was organised here.”
The objective of the programme was to create awareness about HIV/AIDS and its possible causes, prevention of the disease, mitigation of impact of HIV/AIDS in the work place, care and support of workers infected and affected by HIV/AIDS and elimination of stigma and discrimination attached with HIV.Dr Jitender Dahiya, Consultant, Chandigarh SACS informed that about 300 people including employees, visitors, young men and women were sensitised about HIV/AIDS at Elante Mall.
During the awareness programme, a play was organised followed by quiz on the topic of HIV/AIDS. A large number of people actively participated in the programme.In the end, an open session was conducted where queries related to the Health and HIV/AIDS were answered by the experts.Chandigarh comes under category B of HIV/AIDS due to injectable drug users, which are high in neighboring States of Punjab and Haryana.
According to SACS data in 2012, the prevalence of HIV in Chandigarh has dropped from 0.25 percent to 0.23 percent of the total city's population of over 10 lakh.From 2008 to 2012, out of the 21,120 pregnant women tested, 42 were tested positive. In 2008, 60 positives cases were registered.Dr Jitender said that adolescents are becoming infected with HIV because they have neither the knowledge nor the access to services to protect themselves. Chandigarh SACS is educating the youth about HIV/AIDS and providing them access to prevention, treatment, care and support.