World AIDS Day is a global initiative to raise awareness, fight prejudice, and improve education about HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Prevention and control of HIV/AIDS epidemic require organisation of resources, technology and concerted effort both at local and global level. There are several myths which are spread about it amongst the people. Its time people treat the AIDS patients equally with ‘dignity and pride.’ We have to stop the spread of HIV and reduce the rate of new infections. Prevention is our most powerful weapon against the epidemic. There are signs of progress in eliminating stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS, but it is essential to increase awareness, raise money and improve education about the virus. Let there be no more shame, no more blame, no more discrimination and no more stigma. We have no choice but to deploy every effort, mobilise resources and utilise skills that our nation possesses, to ensure that we prevail in this struggle for the health and prosperity of our nation.
Nikhil Chopra
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
