Palakkad declared as first HIV/AIDs literate district

Don't want to miss the best from Business Standard?

Palakkad has been declared as the first complete HIV/AIDS literate district in the state, thanks to the joint initiatives of civic authorities and KESS-HAPPI, a volunatry organisation.
In view of increasing number of HIV cases reported in Palakkad, the district panchayat had drawn up a door-to-door campaign programme to educate people about the perils of the disease and the need to discard discrimination against its victims.
The six-month project, titled 'Jyothirgamaya', has covered 91 village panchayats and four municipalities in the district.
Seminars and awareness classes had been conducted and pamphlets had been distributed in every household, educational institutions and other establishments in these areas with the support of the members of KESS-HAPPI.

The declaration was made in a function last week, district panchayat president T N Kandamuthan said.
The core objective of the initiative is to bring down the number of HIV cases in the district, he said.
"According to the available figures, there are 1200 HIV affected patients in the district. The objective of our mission is to check its further spread by educating public about its dangers," he told PTI.
The project is also aimed to remove the society's stigma and discrimination related to the disease, he said.