Red Ribbon Express to be flagged off on Dec 1 for AIDS awareness

New Delhi, Nov 7 (UNI) A Red-Ribbon Express would be flagged off on World AIDS Day on December 1 to create awareness about the dreaded disease among the people.

Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss told reporters here that the train, which would be launched from the National Capital, would travel for one year to various parts of the country.

The train, which is a joint project of the health ministry and the railway ministry, would have an exhibition on HIV/AIDS and have politicians, film actors and other celebrties who would try to create awareness about HIV/AIDS.

Dr Ramadoss would travel from New Delhi to Alwar on the train and try to inform people about prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. The Red Ribbon Express, which would consist of 5 to 7 bogies, would also have basic testing facilities for HIV, he informed.

At each station along the way, activists and actors would get down and through skits, drama, songs and dance would spread awareness among the people about the disease.

Meanwhile, the government is planning to bring a bill to regulate Invitro Fertilization (IVF) in the country, he said and added that the draft of the bill was ready and has been sent to the law ministry for vetting.

The bill would play a crucial role in regulating the misuse of embroynic stem cells for treatment facilities, he said. Asserting that the use of embroyonic stem cell for treatment was ''illegal,'' Dr Ramadoss said that the government would come out strongly against the clinics violating the guidelines.

Admitting that the guidelines formulated by the ICMR had not been effectively implemented, he said that penal and legal action against would be taken against those violating it. This includes closure of the clinic and cancellation of registration by the Medical Council of India.

UNI