50 per cent fall in HIV positive cases in Sikkim....World AIDS Day observed in Darjeeling

SNS, Gangtok, 1 December 2013: This quaint little Himalayan state has a reason to observe the World Aids Day with zeal this time, as the percentage of HIV positive in the state has fallen by 50 per cent. The reason is the effort put in by the Sikkim State AIDS Control Society (SSACS).

The report comes in at a time when the World Health Organisation this time has laid down the theme ‘getting to zero’ for celebration of World Aids Day. 

Sikkim that approximately has a population of 6.5 lakh has 296 HIV positive cases detected since 1995.

“Last year, we detected 45 new cases but this year till date only 17 cases has come to light,” said Dr Uttam Pradhan, the Project Director of SSACS.

The SSACS has been organising a series of awareness campaign in villages, schools and college across the state, which contributed to the fall in numbers, says experts.

“We have been initiating Youth Intervention Programme in Schools, General Intervention Campaign to make aware the general mass, Multimedia Campaigns. We have been successful in spreading awareness about HIV AIDS and substance abuse all over the state,” added Mr Pradhan. Prevalent mostly in the age group between 20 to 29 and 30 to 39, the state so far has recorded total six casualties due to HIV/AIDS.

World AIDS Day observed in Darjeeling

SNS, Darjeeling, 1 December : World AIDS Day was observed in Darjeeling today. Shanker Foundation ~ an NGO of people living with the HIV/AIDS ~ organised a programme on this occasion.

Spreading awareness on the menace turning ominous in the Hills with the theme of getting to zero, the organisation through infotainment today organised the programme providing a double treat to the audience to remove a hitherto dead scenario prevailing in the music and drama sphere in Darjeeling.

On the occasion, a musical concert by various Hills band and a drama on HIV/AIDS was performed by Baishnavi Production at Chowrasta.

Meanwhile, the organisation also launched a documentary ~ a true story on stigma and discrimination faced by the people living with HIV/AIDS, informed the president of the foundation Mr Shanker Mani Rai who is himself HIV positive. There are 486 members registered with the foundation. Other than the figure provided by the foundation, the total number of HIV infected in the region is unknown.