AIDS awareness day observed

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The capital city tied the red ribbon against the dreadful disease as many organisations observed the World AIDS Day on Thursday. The Secretariat employees joined the observance after Chief Secretary Dr P Prabhakaran inaugurated the Day at a function held at his chamber. Dr Chandralekha Nair, Additional Project Director, Kerala State Aids Control Society (KSACS), tied the red ribbon to the Chief Secretary.The Day’s activities included flagging off of a journey by fifty volunteers of the Nehru Yuvak Kendra (NYK), in association with the KSACS, to Palakkad in the Parasuram Express for spreading awareness about AIDS. The volunteers gifted red ribbons to the fellow passengers in solidarity with the HIV patients and as a token of responsibility to fight against the dreaded disease. The team performed magic show, distributed leaflets and held quiz during the journey. Dr Chandralekha Nair flagged off the trip at the Thiruvananthapuram central station. NYK state coordinator Satheesh, Syndicate Bank marketing manager Santhosh and Hindustan Latex associate vice-president Pradeep were present at the function.K Muraleedharan MLA, inaugurated the blood donation camp, organised by the NSS unit of the Law Academy Law College as part of the World AIDS day celebrations. Mediaperson T Parvathy delivered the key note address at the function, presided over by NSS program coordinator Dr K Mohandas. Law Academy director N Narayanan Nair and college principal Lakshmi Nair also attended.The Aids awareness day, organised jointly by the Global Kerala Initiative Keraleeyam and St Thomas Higher Secondary School, Mukkola, was inaugurated by Director General of Police, Jacob Punnoose. He released the Keraleeyam Aids awareness stamp by presenting it to film star Shafna Naseem. R S Sasikumar presented the project report at the function, presided by Keraleeyam vice-president Kottarakkara Ponnachan.The Aids awareness cycle rally, staged by the cadets of the Mutharammankovil Higher secondary school, Kotukalkonam, was inaugurated by Col Joseph Purackel, Commanding Officer, Kerala NCC Battalion. The rally, led by NCC office Lt Bijumon Gonsalves, which commenced from the school ground touched various places including Panayarakkunnu, Mangalathukonam, Uchakkada, Payattuvila, Nellimood, Balaramapuram, Avanakuzhy and Vazhimukk. School Principal Dr Lakshmanan Nadar welcomed the cadets.Another function, organized jointly by the Terumo Penpol Limited and the All Saint’s College, was inaugurated by Dr Sathyabhama, the Blood Transfusion officer of SCTIMST, made a presentation on blood and blood components at the College. C Padmakumar, Executive Director of Terumo Penpol, made a presentation on Club 25 and the role of students to promote voluntary blood donation. Dr Shaiji and Dr Chitra Elizabeth, Junior Residents of MCH Transfusion Medicine Department organised a quiz for the students. A blood donation camp and a rally were also organised.