Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

Good response to drive against HIV

VISAKHAPATNAM: Additional District Medical and Health Officer (Leprosy and AIDS) P. Rajendra Prasad on Sunday expressed satisfaction over response to drive against HIV/AIDS, and observed that still there was stigma against people suffering from the virus.

In a power-point presentation on HIV/AIDS situation at a sensitisation workshop conducted for the media jointly by the Vizag Journalist Forum and the Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR), he said the stigma and trauma could be overcome through proper counselling and consultation.

Stating that there were certain misconceptions even among people in the medical field, he said still there was the need for wider publicity and campaign on HIV/AIDS so that safe sex methods could be spread. He said the people infected with the virus also needed proper guidance so that they could avail themselves of anti-retroviral drugs being given at the government hospitals on a regular basis. Dr. Rajendra Prasad said Visakhapatnam district was a model in mainstreaming response to HIV through panchayat raj institutions, municipality, transport department, police, religious bodies and the media in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

CFAR programme manager Narender Revelli said sensitisation was required among educated as well as illiterate as HIV/AIDS had emerged as the most serious problem world-over. The way it was spreading warranted periodical check- up, he opined.

VJF president Siva Sankar, senior journalist from Vijayawada C. Satish Babu, secretary M. Yuganadar Reddy and others spoke.

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