Panaji: November 30, 2018 … Minister for Health Shri Vishwajit Rane has said that Government will soon set up centre of excellence in HIV care by December 2019.He was speaking as a chief guest after attending Positive Power Summit 2018 organized by Human Touch at Sanskruti Bhavan on the eve of World AIDS Day today.
Listening to the various difficulties faced by the children suffering from HIV Shri Rane said that Government will come out with the new policy and certain amount of grants from state budget will be given to various initiatives in this field to create infrastructure so that the children suffering from HIV live better quality of life. Shri Rane further said that we as a policy makers need to change the narrative .We need to be more sensitive on how to take this issue forward he added.
Addressing the gathering Dr Jose D’Sa Project Director Goa Control aids Society informed that the theme for the 2018 observance of World AIDS Day is “Know your status”. Shri D’Sa said that our main goal is getting to Zero which means we need to aim at getting zero HIV infection, zero conversion of HIV to AIDS , zero AIDS related threats and most importantly get Zero discrimination .Goa state control society is trying to achieve this goal by 2020 he added.
Shri Peter Borges, Founder of Human Touch said that during last two years in Goa, 610 people have been found infected with HIV positive. He further said HIV is not only transmitted by sex but it is transmitted by sexism, poverty and Homophobia. If we are going to end the menace of AIDS, We must cure the disease in our heart and in our minds, he asserted.
On the occasion, people who have contributed to end AIDS in Goa were felicitated with Goa Red Ribbon Warrior.
