Jamshedpur, Dec. 1: The Calcutta Samaritans organized an awareness campaign and a rally with an objective to generate awareness amongst the general population and the target group on the issues of HIV and AIDS, modes of transmission and its correlation with drugs in keeping with the theme for World AIDS Day 2015 is “Getting to zero: zero new HIV infections, Zero discrimination, Zero AIDS related deaths.”
During the rally leaflets were also distributed. Chief guest Dr. Arun Kumar, professor and head, Community Medicine, MGM Medical College, said, �The aim should be to generate awareness and mobilize the participation of communities to combat drug abuse that have spread at an epidemic rate reaching every corner of the globe, brining in its array vast social problems, global rise in crime, spread of HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B & C, causing havoc in our cities and decay in the family values.�
The Calcutta Samaritans is a non-governmental organization working for the twenty years in partnership with Tata Steel for vulnerable and marginalized sections of the society like drug users at Jamshedpur for last twenty years.
Dr. Subhashis Sirkar, associate professor, Community Medicine, MGM Medical College, said, �Global leaders have already pledged to work towards universal access to HIV and AIDS treatment, prevention and care, recognizing these as fundamental human rights.
Valuable progress has been made in increasing access to HIV and AIDS services, yet greater commitment is needed around the world if the goal of universal access is to be achieved.�
Kanchan Kumar of the Calcutta Samaritans, said, �We have been implementing targeted intervention for injecting drug users using �OPioid Substitution Therapy� in collaboration with Jharkhand State AIDS Control Society for the prevention of HIV and AIDS among them apart from running a de-addiction centre.�
