Forge partnership to give effective response to HIV: NACO

The NACO stressed on the need of reaching out to youths by forging a partnership among several groups and the communities-at-risk to give an effective response to HIV.

Noting that about one third of AIDS patients in the country falls in the age group of 15-29 years, the NACO on Monday stressed on the need of reaching out to youths by forging a partnership among several groups and the communities-at-risk to give an effective response to HIV.

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“It is essential to reach out to young people in many ways including forging a strong partnership between initiatives led by youth and those by communities-at-risk,” National AIDS Control Organisation Director General Sujata Rao said.

Rao, who was speaking at a national festival of sexual minorities here, also urged the youth and communities-at-risk to understand their own and each others’ vulnerabilities to thwart the threat posed by the HIV/AIDS.

A large number of students, artists, sex-workers and homosexuals from across the country took part in the festival aimed at clarifying myths and misconceptions about sexual minorities.

The two-day event, which started yesterday, was attended by students and artists from leading colleges of the city like Kirori Mal, Lady Shri Ram and Kamla Nehru as well as from north and south campus of Delhi University and Indraprashtha University.