AIDS awareness programme held at DHH

GANGTOK, 23 Feb: An HIV/ AIDS awareness programme was organized by the Sikkim State AIDS Control Society in collaboration with the Directorate of Handloom & Handicrafts yesterday for trainees, paid workers and other staffs members at the establishment. The audience for the awareness session comprised mostly of youth, a SSACS press release informs.

The Programme started with the welcome speech by the DHH Deputy Director, Chozang Tshering Lepcha. The Project Director, Dr. V Singhi, in turn, thanked the DHH Director, Namrata Thapa, and the nominated Nodal Officers for mainstreaming HIV/ AIDS in their establishment.
Dr. Singhi detailed the various programmes carried out by SSACS, the importance and purpose of ICTC’s (Integrated Counseling & Testing Centres) and PPTCT (Prevention from parent to child infection).
Next, Namrata Sharma, Mainstreaming Officer, SSACS, informed the session about mainstreaming HIV/AIDS in various government departments, the corporate sector, NGO’s and CBO’s and stressed that every individual needs to take the responsibility to spread awareness on HIV/ AIDS.
Dr. Bina Basnett, MO (ART), in her power-point presentation, explained the modes of transmission and prevention and informed the participants about ART (anti-retroviral therapy) and how the drug helps HIV-positive people to lead a normal and a healthy life.
Dr. CM Sharma, Senior Blood Bank Officer, STNM Hospital, spoke on Blood Safety and motivated the youth for voluntary blood donation.
Before the Programme ended with a vote of thanks by PR Ghimirey, Assistant Director, DHH, an interactive session was held followed by the distribution of IEC materials to all.