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World AIDS Day observed at Bitekha, Naja Gewog |
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Traditionally, the International World AIDS Day used to be observed at venues quite near the Dzongkhag Headquarters. Not this time. For a change, the World AIDS Day was observed at Bitekha, a far flung place (some 70 km away from Paro Dzongkhag). It was at Bitekha under Naja Gewog for this year.
The event was taken to the Gewog level for improving access to awareness programs on HIV/AIDS for the grassroots. “Even if there are no cases of HIV cases in the Gewog, it is only rational that awareness programs reach to the Gewogs,” says Tshewang Dorji, the District Health Officer. “It is for this very reason that the event was observed at Bitekha, Naja Gewog this year,” he adds.
Responding to the importance of the day, some 200 people, including the village leaders, the Gewog Extension staff, officials from the Dzongkhag, and MSTF members attended the function.
“We have 160 HIV/AIDS cases in Bhutan as of 1st December 2008,” the DHO informed the participants while presenting the National level HIV/AIDS scenario. “It’s 80 male and 80 female,” he added.
All the participants had to but nod disapprovingly.
HIV AIDS is the single most prominent killer disease taking an annual human death toll of about 2 million worldwide and a total of 33 million HIV/AIDS cases were reported in 2007.
In Bhutan, a total of 30 people have died of HIV infection and there are 14 cases of mother-child transmission and there are 30 people on Anti-retroviral therapy (ART).
Display of messages on the banners, presentation of a skit on the use and promotion of condoms, distribution of condoms to the participants, presentation of national level HIV/AIDS scenario, reading out of the message from the Regional Director of the South-East Asia Regional Organization (SEARO), New Delhi and a thematic address given by the Chief Guest were some of the key activities organized on the day.
<>Mr. Pema Dorji, Chief Agriculture Officer from the Dzongkhag Administration, Paro presided over the function as the Chief Guest.
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