HIV and AIDS confront the world with many challenges .Humanitarian organizations have worked hard to meet them and to make up for a lack of action in the first years of the epidemic. However, so for, far more needs to be done, in partnership with Governments but also, above all, with communities whose wisdom and resilience offer so much to the HIV response. National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies around the world have come together in a global Alliance on HIV with resolve to do much more and much better in our collective endeavor against this epidemic . This commitment to scale up is linked to specific and measurable targets to double the magnitude of our HIV programming in prevention treatment, care and support, and in tacking stigma and discrimination.

Started on 1st December 1988, World AIDS Day is about raising fund, increasing awareness, fighting prejudice and improving education. World AIDS Day is important in remaining people that HIV has not gone away and that there are many things still to be done. 

Indian Red Cross Society, Tamil Nadu Branch has observed World AIDS Day in collaboration with CAPACS (Corporation AIDS Prevention and Control Society) on 11 December 2008 at Red Cross premises. Thiru. S. Ramasundram I.A.S., Chairman & Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation, former Project Director, TANSACS was the Chief Guest of the programme.

Dr. S. Rajasekaran , former Superintendent , Govt. Hospital of Thoracic Medicine, Tambaram, Chennai delivered keynote address about the problems faced by the HIV/AIDS patients and their family from his own professional experience as a doctor.

Cultural Programmes & Competitions.

 As a part of the World AIDS Day programmes, oratorical competition was conducted for college students on the topic   “AIDS awareness Achuruthala ?/Arivuruthala?(Educating / Threatening) ” at Red Cross premises on 10th December 2008 . Students from 16 Colleges participated in the World AIDS Day function.

Villupattu on HIV/AIDS awareness

 Villupattu is a Tamil folk art of story telling where narration is interspersed with music. Simple tunes and simple verses make the story to be followed easily. A villupattu on HIV/AIDS awareness was done by students of Queen Mary’s Women College, Chennai.

Pattimandaram

  A pattimandram was conducted at Red Cross  premises on topic “ reason for HIV/AIDS – Santharpama ? / Sabalama ? (Circumstances? / Weakness?) Students from six colleges participated.

District Branches

 On the eve of World AIDS Day 2008, various programmes were held in the targeted districts (Villupuram , Thirunelveli, Thanjavur, Peramballur , Trichy and Dharmapuri ) , where Indian Red Cross Society , Tamil Nadu Branch is implementing HIV/AIDS projects through its youth peer education and day care projects.

Districts organized competitions such as essay writing, oratorical, drawing and slogan writing for the school and college students. AIDS awareness rally was organized in each district involving school and college youth and distributed pamphlets and notices to the public. Seminar on “HIV & Youth “was also conducted for the school and college students.

3 ‘ S Link Tambaram Hospital

3 ‘ S Link Tambaram Hospital is the largest HIV/AIDS care center in India with 450 in – patients and more than 300 patients visiting O/P daily . The project, which has been running since July 2004, provides food and hygienic items to people living with HIV , as well as counseling for them and their families.

The 3 ‘S- Link Tambaram Hospital Project started a week long programme for World AIDS Day before 1st December 2008. Indian Red Cross Society, TN organized programmes for patients such as concentration game, Questions and Answer sessions, poetry on “You can live” and drawing competition  on “basic nutrition “ .

The valedictory function was organized at Tambaram hospital of thoracic Medicine premises on 03.12.2008. Dr. Chandrasekhar, Superintendent of Tambaram Hospital of Thoracic Medicine was the Chief Guest. Dr. Vimala Ramalingam, President, Indian Red Cross Society, Tamil Nadu Branch and Mr. Matteo Cirali, Country Representative, Italian Red Cross were also participated. 

A role play was done by the project staff on topic “HIV/ AIDS and law. Students from D.G. Vyshnava College performed cultural programme to entertain the patients. Prizes were distributed to the winners of the various competitions .Various organizations were honored by the Chief Guest for their services to the PLWHAs.