AIDS seminar focuses on human rights

Promotion and protection of human rights constitutes an essential component in preventing transmission of HIV/AIDS. It is required to protect the dignity of the infected and to reduce vulnerability to infection to others, said K. Ela, director, Prodigal’s Home who delivered lecture on HIV/AIDS and legal implications, right of people living with HIV/AIDS, at a seminar organised by Ao Students’ Union Dimapur at Town Hall, Friday.
She also said when their (infected people) rights are not protected, they go on hiding, when they are stigmatized and discriminated, their involvement in HIV reduction effort is lost and vulnerability of other people in the community increases.
This, she said, required that people as communities and individuals respect human rights, dignity, equality and act in a spirit of tolerance, compassion and solidarity.
At the inaugural programme, chief guest Lima Jamir, joint director, Nagaland State AIDS Control Society (NSASC) exhorted the participants to go back to villages and spread knowledge on HIV/AIDS and to create awareness to the people. While lauding the student leaders for organizing the seminar, he said “if you can impart knowledge to common people we can stop the spread of virus”.
In-charge of Integrated Counseling Testing Centre, Dr. T. Temsu expounding on the topic, HIV/AIDS in present context, statistics and categories said the global response to the infected people has always been perceived as equivalent to death, shock and negative thoughts but the present society has come up and are willing to bring in effort to combat spread of HIV/AIDS. He highlighted on the amenities provided for infected mother and unborn child, ART treatment for people living with AIDS while also calling upon the students to “stay safe” and “to extend your hand to unfortunate ones”.
Watsu president, Mrs Asenla who also spoke during the programme emphasized on being responsible towards one’s own moral values and to take precautionary measures for individual safety.
Other resource persons, Alemla Longchar, Dimapur District AIDS Control Committee and Dr, Moa Imsong DABA deliberated on resource service, counseling and HIV/AIDS and spirituality respectively.
Utilising entertainment as a mechanism of raising awareness, Tiameren, project manager CAD Foundation, enlightened the gathering with “Annie’s song”. The seminar on HIV/AIDS, RTI-cum- literary day which aimed to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS through comprehensive prevention programming and empowerment ends Saturday. It is being sponsored by Nagaland State AIDS Control Society (NSASC).