Longrangty Longchar
Dimapur | December 1
Along with the rest of the world, several NGOs under the aegis of the Nagaland AIDS Control Society today organized the world AIDS Day celebration on the theme ‘Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise- Leadership’. The main programme, which started from 9 this morning, witnessed the nearly four thousand participants mostly students, expresses solidarity with the AIDS infected people and concern to the AIDS scenario in the society.
State Health Minister, Dr TM Lotha, expressed happiness at the tremendous response of the people in their willingness to join in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
He asserted that whether one likes it or not, HIV/AIDS have come to stay in the society and that the people need to fight against it, he added that each of the people has been called to be leaders in the fight against the disease.
“Whatever may be our role in life, wherever we may live, HIV has come to stay in our society and we are all affected in some way or the other. We have to fight it out and the need of the hour is leadership,” declared Dr Lotha and in this regard, he urged the people to make an impact in their areas of influence by taking leadership in the fight against HIV / AIDS.
Dr TM Lotha termed HIV/AIDS as a social, human rights and an economic issue; a dreaded disease which has taken a disproportionate toll on women and orphaned many children.
Pointing out stigma and discrimination of HIV/AIDS as the biggest challenge in the fight against the disease, Dr Lotha, urged for a renewed leadership eradicating stigma associated with HIV/AIDs. Dr Lotha said that the solution to the problem of HIV/AIDS must come from within, and added that the society cannot expect the solution to be place upon it.
NSACS Project Director, N Kire addressing the audience, also expressed strong satisfaction at the large-scale participation by the students in the programme.
He said that there was a time when HIV/AIDS infected people belonged to the criminalized group of people, which has to be done away. He said that HIV/AIDS is knocking on the door, and that the people need to tackle it with whatever resources they have. He also expressed happiness at the good response from the Churches in Nagaland which have also recognized the danger posed by the disease and are taking measures and adopting polices to tackle it.
“It is only through concerted effort that we can fight this disease,” asserted Kire. Positive Peoples Foundation Director, Abemo, called for change of attitude of the people towards the disease and the PLHAs (People Living with HIV/AIDS).
He said that there are many promises have been made by the government agencies which have not been implemented; he urged upon the leaders at the state government to implement the promises made by them. He also said that World Aids Day is not just about raising money, but also about increasing awareness, fighting prejudice and improving education.
The programme also witnessed the song presentation by Moanungsang, Achen Imchen and by the group ‘Voice’.
Mention may be made here that according to UNAIDS estimates, there are now 33.2 million people living with HIV, including 2.5 million children. During 2007 some 2.5 million people became newly infected with the virus. Around half of all people who become infected with HIV do so before they are 25 and are killed by AIDS before they are 35.
Around 95 percent of people with HIV/AIDS live in developing nations. But HIV today is a threat to men, women and children on all continents around the world. Started on 1st December 1988, World AIDS Day is significant, since it is a way in reminding people that HIV has not gone away, and that there are many things still to be done.
