Source: The Imphal Free Press
Imphal, November 30:
The Governor of Manipur, Ved Marwah, has appealed to the people of the state to participate in the observance of the World AIDS Day tomorrow to be aware of the preventive measures against the dreaded disease.
The Governor appealed to each and everyone in the state particularly those with patriotic feeling like students, young people, youth leaders, social workers and women leaders to join the mass observance.
In his message to the people, the Governor said a decline in the HIV sero-prevalence rate from 80.7% in 1997 to below 60% in 2001 among the injecting drug users has been seen.
Describing it as a good news for Manipur, he said this is possible because of the increased level of awareness among the young people.
The bad news, however, is the HIV sero-prevalence among pregnant women in Manipur is increasing steadily.
If men take the initiative of preventing, protecting and caring for some one, then the women will definitely follow.
This is the essence of the slogan �I Care��.Do You?, he said.
AIDS has become the number one killer of young people today in Manipur, he said.
He strongly cautioned against complacency stating the future of the young people in Manipur will be at risk of HIV/AIDS.