Police force's support sought to prevent HIV/AIDS

Bangalore, July 26 (UNI) City Police Commissioner Neelam Achutha Rao today called upon the police fraternity to work together to create awareness about the dreaded HIV/AIDS for the betterment of society.

Speaking at the valedictory of the three-day workshop for police personnel on HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention, he said ''The police department cannot be detached from the challenges society is currently facing. We also have to re-examine how we respond to sex workers and their concerns. Let us work together for the betterment of the society.'' Exhorting the police force to respond to the growing challenge of HIV/AIDS, he asked them to take a serious view of the issue, acquire more information and take on the responsibility to disseminate this knowledge to the entire police force comprising 74,000 personnel.

The workshop, entitled 'Building Perspectives in HIV-AIDS, Sex Work and the Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act,' was organised by Karnataka Health Promotion Trust in collaboration with Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society.

Senior level police officials from Bangalore Zone, Deputy Superintendents of Police from Districts and Inspectors of Police attended the workshop held with an objective to equip police officers with the necessary information and perspective to deal with the issue, especially in dealing with marginalised populations such as sex workers.

Karnataka Health Promotion Trust Executive Director Vandana Gurnani said the Training-of-Trainers workshops for police officers were held to mainstream the issue of HIV at the state level. ''The Police is a very important department and comprises huge workforce.

The high-pressure job profile, frequent separation from families occupational hazards such as working in situations of accident and conflict, makes them vulnerable to HIV. We think it is in their interest to be equipped with knowledge about HIV and the services available for care and support,'' she added.

UNI MSP RG GM2000