World AIDS Day observed: Mass awareness to prevent spread of AIDS stressed

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BSS, Rangpur :
Speakers at a post-rally discussion have stressed for creating adequate awareness among common people, especially young generations and vulnerable groups, for preventing spread of the deadly HIV/AIDS diseases.
The district health administration in association with non-governmental organisations organised the discussion in observance of the World AIDS Day-2014 at conference room of the Civil Surgeon of Panchagarh in the sub-Himalayan Panchagarh town yesterday.
RDRS Bangladesh, BRAC, Family Planning Association of Bangladesh (FPAB), Merry Stopes, TLMIB and Eco-Social Development Organisation (ESDO) extended cooperation in organising the programmes to observe the day.
Earlier, hundreds of people, including officials and employees of government and non-government, sociocultural and voluntary organisations, civil society members, teachers, students, professionals and elite brought out a colourful rally in the streets.
Civil Surgeon of Panchagarh Dr Ahad Ali presided over the post-rally discussion meeting at his conference room.
Additional Police Super of Panchagarh Deen Mohammad, Deputy Director of the Family Planning Department Dr Mizanur Rahman, General Secretary of district unit of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) Dr Mansur Alam, District Education Officer Abdul Jabbar and District Heath Education Officer Ziauddin addressed, among others.
In their speeches, the speakers put maximum emphasis on building mass social awareness in freeing Bangladesh from formidable threat of the deadliest diseases of HIV/AIDS for building a healthier nation.
Narrating the deadliest diseases of HIV/AIDS and its present scenario, they urged all concerned for launching vigorous movement involving all in the society through creating awareness and following the social values for a HIV-AIDS-free Bangladesh.
They urged the government, non-government and volunteer organisations and conscientious citizens in the society to come forward with effective steps to resist the threat of HIV/AIDS to protect the people from the wrath of these killer diseases.
BSS from Rajshahi adds: World AIDS Day-2014 was observed in the city yesterday(Monday) through an elaborate programme with a call to raise mass awareness, especially among the youths, to prevent spread of HIV/AIDS in the region.
With the joint initiative of Civil Surgeon Office and various NGOs, a discussion was held on the Civil Surgeon office premises marking the day.
Civil Surgeon of Rajshahi Dr Abdul Sobhan inaugurated the day’s programme by leading a procession, which paraded different thoroughfares before being converged into the meeting venue.
With Civil Surgeon Dr Abdus Sobhan in the chair, Senior Health Education
Officer Sazzad Hossain, Executive Director of Asakta Punarbashan Sangstha Abdul Bashar Paltu and BRAC District Representative AKM Jahedul Islam also spoke on the occasion.
The speakers called for creating mass awareness about diseases like AIDS, giving emphasis on following health rules during sexual contacts, developing religious ethics and moral values and involving the socio-religious and political leaders for prevention of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.
They said it may take five to seven years after infection to detect AIDS virus in human body.
Besides, sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS virus may easily enter human body through blood transfusion and use of injective drugs.
So, the speakers placed recommendations for regular blood scanning of both floating and permanent sex workers, drug addicts and all transport workers of distant routes.
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