World AIDS Day 2024 carrying the theme “Take the Right Path” was observed today in Khliehriat at a programme organized by Mihmyntdu Community Social Welfare Association (MCSWA), Khliehriat in collaboration with Meghalaya AIDS Control Society (MACS), Shillong and District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), East Jaintia Hills District at Khliehriat West Community Hall, Khliehriat.
The programme was graced by Sub-Divisional Officer (Sadar), East Jaintia Hills District, Shri Aditya Verma in the presence of District Medical & Health Officer (DMHO), East Jaintia Hills District, Dr D. Shylla, Medical & Health Officer In-charge Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST), East Jaintia Hills District, Dr J. Nongtdu, Medical & Health Officer In-charge Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre, East Jaintia Hills District, Dr D. Nongpluh, Panel Lawyer DLSA, East Jaintia Hills District, Shri P.N Swer, Assistant Director
(Social Protection & Mainstreaming) MACS, Shillong, Shri Ajoy Lanong, Programme Manager, Mihmyntdu Community Social Welfare Association (MCSWA), TI CC Khliehriat, Smti. Rinibeth Patlong, Chief Functionary MCSWA, Shri Aris J Nongkynrih, Traditional Heads, ASHAs and Self Help Group (SHGs) members.
Addressing the gathering, Sub-Divisional Officer (Sadar), East Jaintia Hills District, Shri Aditya Verma said that World AIDS Day is an important occasion in creating public awareness on the issue of HIV/AIDS and lauded the commitment of all stakeholders to combat against the prevalence of the disease while also stressing on the theme of the observation which is “Take the Right Path” and stated that in order to eradicate the prevalence of this disease there is a need to educate and empower the youth, to organize
public awareness, to provide quality health services to all, to advocate for community involvement as also to eliminate stigmatization and discrimination against victims.
Shri Verma, while highlighting the gathering on the 95-95-95 strategy which is the aim of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS(UNAIDS) to end the HIV epidemic by 2030, encouraged the health department in the district to continue their relentless efforts in providing quality services to the people and called for collaborative efforts in order to gradually eradicate the epidemic from the district.
Meanwhile, District Medical &Health Officer, East Jaintia Hills District, Dr D. Shylla in his speech during the programme stated that World AIDS Day is being observed each year in order to educate people on different ways and means which people can adopt in their daily life to prevent the spread of HIV and spoke at length on the different modes through which the virus is transmitted.
He also said that there is a need for community involvement in taking action and urged the gathering to know their status by getting themselves tested while also stressing on the importance of health even as he highlighted on the availability of health services in the district and impressed upon the gathering to spread the message on HIV/AIDS to their respective communities and encourage other citizens to get tested for the virus.
Others who spoke during the programme include Medical & Health Officer In-charge Opioid Substitution Therapy, East Jaintia Hills District, Dr J. Nongtdu, Medical & Health Officer In-charge Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre, East Jaintia Hills District, Dr D. Nongpluh, Assistant Director (Social Protection & Mainstreaming) MACS, Shillong, Shri Ajoy Lanong, and Panel Lawyer DLSA, East Jaintia Hills District, Shri P.N Swer. Other highlights of the programme include a Short Play performed by Self Help
Group (SHG) members of Ladrymbai, Extempore Speech participated by ASHAs, etc. (DPRO, Khliehriat).