Kakinada, Dec 1^st: District collector Gopala Krishna Dwivedi has conducted the AIDS awareness program at district collector’s camp office on Monday in the occasion of Worlds AIDS Day. Speaking on the occasion collector said that awareness should be created in the people about AIDS and educate them about the disease and its complications.

     On this occasion collector distributed breakfast and nutritious food packages to the children effected with HIV positive.  Collector had breakfast with HIV infected people along with SP Nagireddy and other officers. He said that our state is in the second position next to Mizoram and nearly 4 lakh people are already affected with the disease and mainly 100 victims are noted in the district.

     Collector gave assurance to the victims to facilitate them with pensions, ration cards, loans and house sites to help them. Speaking on the occasion SP Nagireddy said that already the Government has established Anti-Ritro viral medical centers in Kakinada and Rajahmundry to create awareness among the victims including voluntary counseling and testing centers.

     SP asked the victims to avail the medical facilities and take nutritious food so as to maintain good health and increase the life span. He called for effective co-ordination of various Government and Non-Government organizations in extending aid to the HIV people. District medical health officer Nagireddy and Government general hospital superintendent Dr. D Vijayakumar spoke on the occasion.