: World AIDS Day

Educations is a key part of the annual World AIDS Day observance, and a number of organizations, local, online, and afar have organized events, campaigns, and workshops around the day to spread awareness within their communities. The Health Education Division under the department of Pediatrics organized a Seminar on AIDS for the young adolescents of Snehalaya at the Advanced Pediatrics Center, PGIMER Chandigarh.  World AIDS Day is an opportunity for to spread awareness about the status of the pandemic and encourage progress in HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care in high prevalence countries and around the world.

With this year’s theme being “Getting to Zero,” we hope to see a day when there are zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination, and zero AIDS related deaths. . WHO chose the “Getting to Zero” theme last year and has pledged to keep working toward its goal of “zero” through 2015. Although HIV and AIDS have been a part of the public dialogue for over 30 years – in fact, an entire generation has grown up not knowing of a world without AIDS – the statistics are still startling. According to WHO statistics, 34 million people are living with HIV in the world, with 7 million of those people still waiting to access antiretroviral therapy – the most common treatment for HIV. People who are still waiting to access treatment live in all regions of the world, and only 28% of children who need antiretrovirals are able to obtain them.

The seminar was conducted by team of doctors including Dr Bhavneet Bharti, Dr Sahul Bharti Dr Kavipriya, and Dr Nishath. Innovative methods were used to create awareness about this sensitive topic to the young minds. Myriad topics were discussed about HIV and AIDS which ranged from its global and local epidemiological situation, mortality and prevalence estimates, history of AIDS, discovery of HIV, its diagnosis & treatment, male and female reproductive health, AIDS related songs and poems. Dr Bhavneet Bharti emphasized the crucial role of awareness for HIV/AIDS pandemic among adolescents and youth to mitigate this smoldering pandemic. The seminar was sponsored by the Chandigarh State AIDs control society and Consultant youth affairs, Sunil K Panghal actively participated in the seminar .