AIDS education in schools
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 14 — The governing body of the State AIDS Control Society, UT, has decided to start AIDS education programme in 30 senior secondary schools of the city during the current financial year. This was decided today at a meeting held here today under the chairmanship of Mr Rakesh Singh, Finance and Health Secretary.

In fact, two workshops for the principals of these schools have already been organised by the AIDS Prevention and Control Society. Also since 1997, about two teachers of each of these schools have been briefed about the HIV/AIDS programme.

Under the AIDS education in schools, principals and selected teachers would interact with the school students to educate and make them conscious about the problems of this dreadful disease.

The society has also decided to conduct a communication needs assessment study to assess information, education and communication (IEC) of the AIDS prevention programme by identifying target groups, preparation of new IEC material, training needs and to assess the current practices, behaviour and understanding of HIV and AIDS among various groups of people.

The meeting today, which was also attended by Mr M Ramsekhar, Deputy Commissioner, Mr K.A.P. Sinha, Joint Secretary, Finance, and Mr Joginder Singh, Director, Health Services, also decided to observe a fortnight-long family health awareness campaign from December 1, to coincide with World AIDS Day.

In addition, a seven-member Information and Communication Committee for the State AIDS Control Society has also been constituted with the Director, Health Services as its Chairman. Mr N M Sharma, Project Director of the State AIDS Control Society will function as its member-secretary. The other members of the committee will include the Director, Public Relations, UT; Director, Public Relations, Panjab University; President, Press Club; and the head of the Department of Dermatology and Venereology, PGI.

In order to review the function and analyse the under-utilisation of the services of all the sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics of the city, another committee has been constituted with Prof (Dr) Bhushan Kumar, Head of the Department of Dermatology and Venereology, PGI, as its coordinator.

The meeting also suggested that special workshops should be organised for the children working in dhabas and canteens, and midwives and employees of beauty parlours, to educate them about the AIDS prevention programme.