THE HEALTH Department has decided to use both information and entertainment to combat AIDS menace during one of the country's biggest religious fairs -- the Ardh Kumbh-2007.
In the first-of-its kind strategy to create mass awareness about AIDS and identify all HIV carriers in the mela
area, at least five national-level seminars, involving heads of prominent 'akhadas' and mutts will be organised. Besides, 'Mega Infotainment Night', will be organised a day before the main 'Mauni Amavasya Snan'.
Celebrity singer Sunidhi Chauhan and other renowned playback musicians will enthral the audience at the Mega Infotainment Night and spread the message to keep away from HIV and AIDS.
The Health Department has prepared a four-point strategy of mass awareness about HIV/AIDS during six-week-long Ardh Kumbh. The department will set up a Centralised Information Centre (CIC) with toll free number in the mela area. The CIC will have HIV photo exhibition, condom outlet box and a counselling centre.
The counselling will be done by the experts and staff of the Voluntary Counselling and Testing Centre (VCTC). Experts from the medical college will also provide treatment and give advice to patients.
The five national-level seminars on HIV/AIDS will be held at the CIC. The heads of akhadas, mutts and other prominent religious organisations will deliberate on the religious and social factors to curb the deadly HIV infection.
In order to identify suspected HIV patients at the transit points of the mela, the Information-cum-counselling centres will be set up at bus station, railway station and at mela entry points. Such centres will also be set up at Rambagh, Daraganj, Jhusi, Prayag, Phaphamau and Prayag railway stations. The Zero Road, Jhusi and Civil Lines Bus stations will also have such centres.
These centres will organise street plays, magic shows and video movies for passengers. They will also display HIV/AIDS awareness posters.
Also for the first time, an 'Information Rath' equipped with HIV/AIDS information material and counsellors will move in the mela area.
The counsellors will give answers to the queries of general public regarding HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.
To attract the attention of the rural youths towards the problem of HIV, the department will organise 'Mega Infotainment Event', on the day before Mauni Amavasya Snan. "The Mela reaches on its peak on Mauni Amavasya, with lakhs of people from different States gathering on the banks of the Ganga. So it is the best time to alert them about the threats of HIV, which has taken an epidemic proportion in several States," said Dr Kalim Akmal, district programme officer, AIDS.
"Street plays and voluntary blood donation camps will also be organised on the day before every main snan. There will also be video shows for the visitors," he added. Dr Akmal said the government had informally approved the budget of Rs. 29.70 lakh for anti-AIDS campaign during the mela.