Rally taken out to mark World AIDS Day

PNS|ONGOLE

A huge rally was taken out to mark World AIDS day here on Thursday. MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy flagged off the rally in which over 3000 people took part. The rally began at the Collector’s office and reached the ZP office via Nellore bus station.

Addressing the gathering, MP Srinivasulu Reddy said that HIV/AIDS menace is not the problem of one person but its problem of all. HIV/AIDS is plaguing the entire world and the national AIDS control department is working to check the menace.

In the state, the government formed the AP AIDS control wing, the MP said, and asked the officials concerned to work in a coordinated manner to eliminate the HIV/AIDS menace. DMHO Dr.S Rajyalakshmi said that people in the age group of 15 to 49 were the most vulnerable to the virus. HIV/AIDS will have its influence not only on the families but also on the country, she said.

The DMHO said that AntiRetroViral (ART) drugs are being given to the patients free of cost in the district. District Legal Cell Authority representative Shyam Babu underlined the need of organising awareness programmes to check the menace. He called upon voluntary organisations to come forward to create awareness of the protection of HIV/AIDS. Dr.Balaji said that 2,00,649 HIV/AIDS patients in the state are using AntiRetroViral (ART) drugs.

District Leprosy, HIV/AIDS, and TB eradication department officer Dr.Suresh said that the HIV/AIDS tests were made available in 95 PHC in the district. He said that 3,116 HIV/AIDS patients are being given pensions in the district. He said that there are 10 blood banks in the district through which purified, tested, and protected blood is being supplied to the people who need blood. 62 HIV-affected women had given birth from April 2022 to October 31 2022 and their newborns were protected from being infected with the virus, he said.