Govt-NGO efforts needed to combat AIDS

Held at Dinajpur Zila Parishad Auditorium, the discussion was jointly organised by Health Department, National AIDS/STD Programme and Save the Children-USA.

Deputy Civil Surgeon of Dinajpur Dr Mohammad Yunus Ali presented the key-note paper.

Speakers cautioned that the border districts of the country are at high risk of HIV/AIDS. Dinajpur district is sharing about 400-kilometre of border with India, they said. They said the disease can be prevented by practicing Islam in our day-to-day activities. They emphasised on social mobilisation to prevent and combat the deadly disease through effective dissemination of information. They said that time is ripe for creating mass awareness about the disease.

They warned people, specially youths to refrain from doing sex without condoms.

They said the disease is prevalent among sex workers and injecting drug users. They emphasised on distribution of condoms for free among sex workers to prevent the disease.

Government and NGO officials, school and college teachers and students and journalists took part in the discussion.