Rükizumi Welfare Society, (RWS) Pfütsero organized advocacy program on HIV and AIDS with stakeholders of 18th Chozuba Assembly Constituency on August 3 at Chetheba with parliamentary secretary for social welfare, women and child development Chotisuh Sazo as guest of honour.

Resource persons were Dr. R. Rose, state program officer NSACS and Dr. Vinito L. Chishi, state program coordinator, Legislative Forum on UNAIDS Nagaland.  

Speaking as chief guest, Sazo said HIV concerns society as a whole adding stigma and discrimination against HIV+ people would only result in the increase of infection rather than reducing.

Deliberating on basics of HIV & AIDS, Dr R. Rose said HIV is a chronic but manageable disease and expressed hope that the world would come out with a medicine to kill the virus.

Emphasizing on the close relation of HIV and TB, Dr. Rose however said TB can be cured whereas HIV there is no cure for HIV till today and expressed the need to contribute towards government of India’s effort for TB free country.

Dr Vinito emphasized on HIV scenario and commented that Nagaland ranked sixth in high HIV prevalence state in India and rapid growth of infection rate in the country has led to formation of Legislative Forum in all the states of India, he added.

Mese Letro, president PNP+ and the first HIV+ declared in Phek district in his testimony said, he went through immense stigma and discrimination even among his very close friends. He thanked God for being merciful and urged people to look at HIV+ people with and attitude of normalcy, taking it as any other disease which can affect an individual.

The program was attended by DAPCU officials and hundreds of stakeholders from various walks of life of the 18th Chozuba Assembly Constituency.