AP govt to launch 2-month campaign against HIV/AIDS on August 12

Assistant Project Director (APD) of the Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society (APSACS), Dr. Saraswathi, has emphasised the critical need to raise awareness about the spread of HIV/AIDS. She urged officials to take action to eradicate HIV/AIDS from the State. As part of this initiative, the government plans to conduct a two-month awareness campaign starting on August 12, in collaboration with 18 line departments.
APSACS convened a Joint Working Group Committee meeting in Vijayawada on Tuesday to prepare for the campaign. The meeting was chaired by Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Joint Director (JD) Dr. Manjula.
Addressing the meeting, Dr. Saraswathi highlighted the need for cooperation and support from various government departments. She stressed the importance of fulfilling their responsibilities promptly and suggested that any department with more than 100 employees appoint a Complaint Officer. She encouraged everyone to get tested for HIV/AIDS.
Dr. Saraswathi expressed optimism that with collective support, HIV/AIDS could be eradicated from the state by 2030. She noted a significant decrease in the number of new cases compared to previous years and emphasised the availability of high-quality medicines provided by the government, urging regular use to combat the disease. The primary focus, she explained, is to raise awareness among the public about HIV/AIDS.
IEC JD Dr. Manjula announced that Minister Satya Prasad would inaugurate the state-level HIV/AIDS awareness campaign on August 12. She mentioned that 96 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are participating in the campaign to educate people about HIV/AIDS and explained the importance of the awareness program through a PowerPoint presentation.
JD Dr Bhagya Lakshmi, Dr Kameswara Prasad, Dr Chakravarthi, Dr Rajendra Prasad, and others attended the meeting.