World AIDS Day program kicks off

 

The World AIDS Day-2005, which is observed worldwide on December 1 with the slogan 'Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise', kicked off with various programs at the UN building in Lalitpur today.

Addressing the program, UN resident representative to Nepal, Matthew Kahane, urged all concerned agencies and people for strong joint effort and commitment to fight against HIV/AIDS in Nepal and to change the lives of people living with the infection in the country.

A rough estimate shows that about 62 thousand people between 15-49 years are living with HIV/AIDS in Nepal, with most of them unaware they have the infection. It was also informed in the program that injecting drug users are most vulnerable to the infection in Nepal.

A street drama about AIDS was also performed by Sarbanam group in the program.

For details of World Aids Day, please visit www.worldaidsday.org. nepalnews.com rh Nov 30 05