News and Pics by Hemanath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (RD/CN)

Udupi, Dec 2: A campaign and street plays to create awareness on AIDS, were held at the city service bus stand and Government Pre-university College, on Monday December 1, to observe World AIDS Day. It was jointly organized by the AIDS Prevention Society, Bangalore, district health and family welfare department, and city Lions Club (south and mid-town).

Cheluvappa, deputy director, Pre-university education department, inaugurated the AIDS campaign. K Anand, deputy director of public instructions, inaugurated the stage programme held at Government Pre-university College on Monday morning, and provided information on the significance of observing World AIDS Day.

Dr Ramachandra Bayari, tuberculosis control officer, said that unsafe sexual contact leads to 85 percent of AIDS cases.  Six states, including Karnataka, account for a steep rise in AIDS victims. Udupi district has witnessed steady decline in such cases, chiefly attributed to the dispensing of medicines to AIDS victims through 13 Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART) centers, he said.

More than 500 AIDS victims are under medication at these centers.  Although the medications are expensive, the government administers them free, said Dr Bayari. Prizes were distributed to the winners of an essay-writing contest on AIDS.

District surgeon Dr Dayanand Nayak, city Lions Club president Nanda Kumar, south Lions Club president Vishwanat Bayari, district malaria control officer Dr Sitaram Shetty, and Government Pre University College NSS officer Varghese, were present on the dais.

District family welfare officer Dr M R Nayak, welcomed the gathering. Surendra Shetty compered the programme.