Don Bosco Academy Initiates HIV/AIDS Awareness Programmes in the District

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In commemoration of the World AIDS day on 1st December 2012, Don Bosco Academy, Nalgonda, oragnized a seminar on Aids Awareness to the Staff, Degree and the P.G. students with the idea that these youngsters in turn become catalysts in empowering rural youth of Nalgonda district. Fr. Anand, the Director and Fr. Balashowry, the principal of Degree and P.G. College together with some of the Staff spoke on the deadliness of HIV/AIDS disease.

Fr V. Balashowreddy along with M.S.W students

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection leading to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) causes progressive decline in immunological response in people living with HIV/AIDS making them susceptible to a variety of and opportunistic infections which are responsible for morbidity and mortality. HIV infection continues to be a major public health problem worldwide. India is a country with the second largest population of HIV infected individuals. India has an estimated 2.3 million HIV positive persons in 2007 with an adult HIV revalence of 0.36%. Sexual route continues to be major mode of transmission According to 2001 census. With 76.2 million population, Andhra Pradesh is India’s fifth most populous state. Coming down to Nalgonda, the district gets HIV Category ‘A’ for HIV Sentinel Surveillance in 2004 -2006.

Most people affected in this district are uneducated rural youth and adults on the contrary the awareness programmes conducted in this district which consists of 110 villages are barely minimal. As a result of this many people in the rural areas are becoming more vulnerable to the disease. Poverty also contributes a major share in escalation of the spread of HIV/AIDs infection and quick a death to affected patient.

Don Bosco Academy Nalgonda with a perspective for healthy outlook towards life has taken up a humble initiative to sparkle and to empower the villagers with the help of the students of the academy. The main concern in this initiative is to educate the parents and the innocent children who are already suffering from the disease. The MSW (Masters in Social Work) department of the P.G. College under the able guidance of Fr. Anand, the director and Fr. Balashowry, the principal of the college, and NGO’s have already started off the follow up sessions in the villages with the help of the staff local NGO’s. This innovative decision to educate the district has enabled the students to venture in to the practical life of the villagers even when they are theoretically studying it in the class rooms.

Br G. Naresh