CM announces free medicines to HIV/AIDS affected people

Shimla, Dec 12 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today announced free medicines for HIV/AIDS affected people, besides free travel facility and an attendant to the atient for visiting antiretroviral centres for treatment.

Presiding over the first meeting of Chairmen of Zila Parishads and Mayor on AIDS Awareness here, he said the state government would also provide financial assistance to the children of the affected people.

Observing that precaution and awareness about the disease were the only necesary to tackle it, he said mass awareness campaigns should be launched at all levels to spread information about it.

The state government's endevour would receive further impetus in its fight against AIDS by involving panchayati raj institution representatives, mahila and yuvak mandals who would provide information to the people at the grass root level, he said.

He said the panchayat representatives would help in spreading awareness about the causes to the people and help in checking its spread.

Stressing the need for spreading awareness among the youth, he said the disease was widely prevalent in people below 29 of which 40 per cent were women, he said.

The Chief Minister also called upon the people not to discriminate against HIV positive children and families since they needed the society's support in their fight against the disease.

The children of the affected parents should be given special attention to prevent their isolation in schools, he said, adding that it was the moral duty of every citizen to help them lead a respectable life.

He said the Himachal government had been successful in eradicating tuberculosis and polio from the state and had emerged as a role model for the other states in providing quality health services.

UNI AS HS RR KN2007