Ratia, March 22: Under the aegis of the Haryana AIDS Control Society, Panchkula, a community event was organized by the TI Project—spearheaded by the Shanti Yuva Mandal, Fatehabad. Presiding over the program, Project Manager Sumit Sharma stated that there is now greater global awareness regarding AIDS, and better treatment options are available than ever before. According to experts, with timely testing and appropriate treatment, infected individuals can now lead normal, long lives.
Thanks to advancements in the healthcare sector, Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) has proven to be highly effective. This therapy helps keep the viral load in the body at low levels, thereby reducing the risk of transmitting the infection. To guide the youth in the right direction, it is absolutely essential to organize periodic awareness camps regarding substance abuse. Dr. Deep Singh, In-charge of the De-addiction Center, was also present on this occasion.
He remarked that substance abuse not only disrupts one's mental equilibrium but also fuels crime and violence. Addiction to narcotics can lead to the financial ruin of both the individual and their family. Furthermore, drug addiction does not merely cause the downfall of the individual involved; it also inflicts a severe blow upon the lives and mental well-being of everyone connected to them.
Social worker Surendra Singh observed that, in contemporary times, drug addiction is spreading rapidly throughout society, pushing the future of the youth toward darkness. While substance abuse was previously confined to a limited segment of society, it has now infiltrated schools and colleges. Meanwhile, Red Cross Lecturer Santosh Sevda provided detailed information regarding the causes, symptoms, prevention, and treatment of HIV infection.
She explained that while AIDS is a serious disease, prevention is possible through timely information and precautionary measures. During the event, attendees were encouraged to adopt a healthy lifestyle, undergo regular health check-ups, and steer clear of misconceptions.
Additionally, free health check-ups and counseling services were provided at the camp. Furthermore, Sombeer and Sunny were specially honored and felicitated for playing a highly active role in the activities conducted throughout the entire year under the TI Project. Present on this occasion were Bhola Ram, Sarpanch Vikram, Pawan, Prince, Dr. Dharampal, Kamal Kant, Balbir Sharma, Deepanshu, Jyoti, Bittu, Seema, and Nitin.