Port Blair, Dec 21: Every year on 1st December is observed as World AIDS Day with a theme. This year the theme is “Global Solidarity, Shared Responsibility”. To emphasize the theme and to reach the expectation of the message is the attempts of prevention and control measures. A campaign for propagation of the message through audio visual and mass media was innovated. Under the programme DR. M. Joy, Project Director, Andaman & Nicobar AIDS Control Society (ANACS) flagged off the Information, Education & Communication (IEC) Van. The IEC Van with PA system will deliver audio messages on HIV/AIDS and its related issues throughout its route. The van is carrying attractive, colourful banners & IEC materials. The IEC Van will cover whole of the municipal area in 5 days and rural area of South Andaman in 15 days.
The same programme is also to be conducted in all the other Islands by the counsellors of ANACS under the guidance and support of the Medical Officers of each center. At Swaraj Dweep for 1 day, Shaheed Dweep for 1 day, Hutbay for 1 day, Baratang for 1 day, Rangat for 2 days, Mayabunder for 1 day, Diglipur for 3 days, Nancowry for 1 day, Nicobar for 2 days and Campbell bay for 1 day.
ANACS had been conducting various intervention programmes to reach people and try to make them aware on various aspects of HIV & AIDS. This year the regular form of mid media intervention programme like the Nukkad Natak by Folk troupe with large gathering cannot be done. Hence the performance for dissemination of message is carried out through a well innovative and designed mobile van. The IEC van along with the Nukkad Natak team will deliver audio messages throughout its route and stop at preidentified locations for the performance of the Folk troupe. However this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic the mid media programme had been restricted to only IEC van so that gathering is avoided and information is dispersed through audio messages throughout the route of IEC Van where the cooperation of the general public and the institutional heads are solicited.
