Rodrigues calls for practical approach to tackle AIDS

Chandigarh, Jan 21 (UNI) Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Union Territory Administrator, General (Retd.) S F Rodrigues, today called for collective action and a practical approach to tackle AIDS by generating awareness about the occurrence and spread of the disease.

"We must develop the feeling of caring, expand our reach to the affected people and give all support and help to rehabilitate them', he said while addressing a function after launching a UNAIDS project report "Size Estimation of Injecting Drug Use in Punjab and Haryana" at the Panjab University here.

General Rodrigues expressed concern over the increasing number of cases of this endemic virus despite a series of programmes being launched at different levels.

He said the situation was alarming in the country and required enormous effort, commitment and dedication at the level of NGOs and public alike.

"We must concentrate on creating a congenial and healthy environment to check the occurrence of the disease by taking remedial and preventive steps", he added.

Emphasizing the need for restructuring the programmes relevant to this region, General Rodrigues said that the time had come to find result-oriented solutions aiming to tackle the contributory factors as identified in the UNAIDED Study Report.

He said that drug addiction through injections was a major identified source for spreading AIDS and there was a need for a concerted efforts to check this menace.

He emphasized that the drug de-addiction centers being run in different parts of the state needed to be surveyed in order to bring about necessary reform measures.

He emphasized the need of counseling services, educative measures, promoting oral de-addiction therapeutic treatment with a backup support of nutritional and rehabilitation programmes.

General Rodrigues said that the Action Plan formulated on the basis of study conducted by Guru Nanak Dev University on drug de-addiction was being implemented in the state and there was a need of carrying forward this process through massive community participation.

Educationists, Doctors and social activists who have a genuine concern for society must come forward to guide this endeavour to achieve the goal of making the society free from drug addiction.

UNI VKJ VN1841