ASACS conducts reorientation workshop for HIV awareness at Assam Administrative Staff College

GUWAHATI: A one-day reorientation workshop of Red Ribbon (RRC) Coordinators and Members of Colleges in Kamrup (M) and Kamrup districts was conducted at Assam Administrative Staff College on May 22. The objective of the workshop was to create awareness about HIV, injecting drugs, and voluntary blood donation.

Speaking at the inaugural session, Project Director, Assam State AIDS Control Society (ASACS), Pomi Baruah, ACS, said, “Assam is an HIV-vulnerable state, and youth are vulnerable to HIV, so youth need to remain aware of HIV prevention, especially the routes of HIV transmission.” Further, there are an estimated 26,000 injecting drug users in the state, which is aiding in the rise of HIV-positive cases in the state. Therefore, awareness and abstinence from high-risk behaviours are the only ways of HIV prevention. She even appreciated the involvement of colleges in the "Know about HIV: Donate blood voluntarily" campaign, which was conducted last year, and the best performing colleges were awarded during events like World AIDS Day. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Ranjan Kakati, Director, Students’ Welfare, Gauhati University, said, HIV is a threat to society due to a lack of adequate knowledge, especially amongst the youth," adding, "There are 46,000 NSS volunteers across the state, and these NSS volunteers can spread HIV awareness in their respective institutions.

Nukul Deori, NNS Youth Officer, NE, while highlighting the activities of NSS, said, "The moto of NSS is ‘not me, but you’ and this means that whatever we gain, we should give back to society. Sr Finance & Accounts Officer, Sanjib Kalita, AFS, while appreciating the good works done by the RRCs, said, "While we were in colleges, there were no such entities like Red Ribbon Clubs, but today the students of the colleges have the added advantage of knowing about HIV through Red Ribbon Clubs in their respective colleges." Prof. Arup Dutta, Coordinator of the RRC at Dimoria College, urged for an integrated database for voluntary blood donors from colleges and other educational institutions stated a press release.

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