NYKS and APSACS conduct AIDS awareness prog for youths

SEIJOSA/SEPPA 22 Jul: A series of awareness programs on AIDS was jointly organized by the Arunachal Pradesh State AIDS Control Society and Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan at three locations in Seijosa and Seppa on 20 July with the aim to raise awareness among the youth and out-of-school adolescents.

In Seppa, Sanjay Richo, a volunteer from NYK, led the awareness program at 4-Square Coaching Institute. He initiated the session with an introduction and ice-breaking activities, followed by formal discussions. Resource persons for the event Disco Rangmo, MD of 4-Square Coaching Institute and Apoli Brah, ANM from the medical department, addressed common misconceptions about HIV/AIDS and provided information on its causes, symptoms, prevention and treatment.

In Seijosa, NYK volunteer Niti Darlong organized a program along with Satrughan Gungli from the youth affairs department as resource person.

During the programme, Gungli spoke about the dangers of needle sharing, importance of condom use, risks of drug and steroid abuse and the hazards of needle sharing for tattoos and piercings. He also addressed the queries from participants.

A similar program was also held in a separate place at Seijosa wherein resource person Tido Nabam, discussed different drugs that can be abused by young people, the risk factors associated with substance abuse, and the consequences of AIDS.