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| Counseling by Red Ribbon Express | | | | Spreading awareness about AIDS the Red Ribbon Express is these days at Jammu. Opportunity must be seized to take the lessons this Express has for all. A recent report about the spread of a deadly disease in Jammu and Kashmir has come as a rather shock and should not be taken lightly both by the stakeholders and the authorities at helm of affairs. Warning against rising AIDS cases in Jammu and Kashmir, State AIDS Control Society has said 40 people have died of the deadly disease and 1430 have tested HIV positive in the state during the past three years. This percentage is though lowest in the country but this does not mean that emphasis should not be laid in stamping AIDS out of Jammu and Kashmir. Our state being rural and backward with no metropolitan centers or highly modern lifestyle should not have been vulnerable to this disease. But still if cases of AIDS are being reported in the state this becomes a cause of serious concern and requires a concerted campaign for awareness about safeguards. This is perhaps one such disease for which prevention is the only cure. Till few years back the AIDS graph was alarmingly high in the state which though has come down significantly but a lot more needs to be done for its complete eradication. The graph is reported have marginally dipped in high risk groups. As per the survey conducted by Jammu and Kashmir aids prevention and control society mass awareness has resulted in the reduction of AIDS graph to 0.3 per cent in high risk groups and 0.02 per cent in general population in the state. 92 per cent areas in the state have been covered under awareness programmes by involvement of various agencies and about 72,000 people have voluntarily got themselves tested against AIDS through counseling centres opened in every district. Intensive awareness programme through electronic and print media are required to be launched. It is quite satisfactory to learn that under religious advocacy programme, 840 Imam's (who heads prayers in mosques) have been trained besides two teachers each in 2,000 high and higher secondary schools, 17,000 workers of social welfare department, 2,400 Surpanches and Panchas have also been trained for conveying the messages in their respective areas. Despite all this elaborate awareness program if we still have 1430 HIV patients, this needs an introspection to find the unexplored areas. The AIDS control society should rope in the non-governmental organizations for leading the awareness campaigns. Jammu and Kashmir is not an educationally advanced and modern state where men and women would sit together to learn the use of condoms and other things used for the safe sex. Therefore, involvement of NGOs with particular focus on women can help in conveying the message where it matters most. A Jehad should be launched against AIDS before it becomes a serious problem in the state. |
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