Congenital HIV infection prevented in 31 children in Prakasam
MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy flagging off the awareness rally on HIV/AIDS in Ongole on Wednesday
Ongole: The Prakasam district administration on Wednesday informed that 31 children of HIV infected mothers were born free from the virus.
The department of AIDS and Leprosy Control and District Medical and Health Office organised an awareness rally and special programmes in the town observing the 'World AIDS Day' on Wednesday. Several other educational institutions and public organisations also conducted similar programmes.
Ongole MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy flagged off the rally from the Collectorate to Dr BR Ambedkar Bhavan and participated as the chief guest to the programme held there. He said that the State and central governments are conducting several programmes for the control of AIDS, and advised the voluntary organisations to work with the government to create awareness among the public.
Joint Collector K Krishnaveni said that as a result of the initiatives by the government to prevent mother-to-child, 31 children are born free from viruses in the district in the last year. DMHO Dr P Ratnavali said that everyone in society should fight jointly against HIV, Covid-19 and other viruses that are becoming a threat to mankind. The students from the QIS College of Pharmacy and various other institutions also participated in the programme.
The NSS unit at the Acharya Nagarjuna University PG Campus organised a rally and session to create awareness on AIDS in Ongole town. The district NSS coordinator Dr Mande Harsha Preetham Dev Kumar presided over the programme and said that HIV is damaging the immunity levels in the body of the person and on the other side it is ruining the families personally and economically.
Special officer Dr B Krishna said that the data released by the NACO revealed that mostly the youth between 15 and 44 years is being affected by HIV. He advised the students to believe in a happy family and stay away from drugs and alcohol. Andhra Kesari University OSD Dr KVN Raju said apart from the awareness programmes by various organisations, the government hospitals are providing testing and counselling services.