Port Blair, Mar 02: A & N AIDS Control Society is functioning under the supervision and guidance of the Project Director. A workshop was conducted on HIV/AIDS, STD Blood Donation motivation and Condom Promotion at Pathargudda community hall on 27.02.2021 at 10.30 am.

A Comprehensive programme of the AIDS awareness along with COVID-19 awareness is planned in all the 24 wards of the Port Blair Municipal Council. The programme will be conducted on rotation in all the existing community halls. A programme sheet has already been generated and informed to the concerned.
The programmes are conducted under the leadership of Dr. M. Joy, Project Director, ANACS. The programme of training of sanitary workers is conceived to get the people at the last mile for creating an awareness regarding HIV/AIDS and its prevention. The newly conceived control measures as “Know your Status” and “Community Based Screening (CBS)” is introduced through them for better receptivity of the programme.
Shri Girish Kumar AD(SPM) briefed the gathering about the symptoms and prevention of STD and the preventive measures against HIV infection like safe sex, condom usage, use of sterilized/disposable needles/syringes, safe blood transfusion etc. were highlighted. Youths are important target group who need to know all about HIV/AIDS. They were also exhorted to come forward for the Voluntary Blood Donation.
90 participants attended the programme. A large number of them were sanitary inspectors and sanitary workers from PBMC.
The Assistant Director(SPM) informed that A & N AIDS Control Society is providing services through 13 ICTC centres situated at various CHCs, PHCs & Hospitals. The reports of HIV tests are free of cost and kept confidential.
The programme was concluded with the testing of “Community based Screening” for the participants present in the workshop and came forward for “Knowing their HIV Status” by voluntarily getting themselves tested which will be kept confidential.