India, Karnataka should get rid of AIDS in next 5 years: CM Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], December 1 (ANI): Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah said on Friday that India and Karnataka should work in the direction of become AIDS-free in the next five years.
Addressing the World AIDS Day 2023 event at Banquet Hall Vidhana Souda, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, "Today is World AIDS Day. It is the responsibility of all to prevent this epidemic. The disease was discovered in India in 1986 and in Karnataka in 1987. In recent days the number of HIV patients and its prevalence is decreasing. This is a good development. India and Karnataka should work in a direction to become AIDS-free in the next five years."
Emphasising that awareness should be created among the people and the youth to build an HIV-free society, Siddaramaiah said, "There was a slogan to bring the number of AIDS affected to zero by 2015-2020. But this goal has not been achieved. Achieving this goal is the responsibility of both the health department and the entire society."
He further said that precautionary measures should be followed to control the disease.
"HIV affected can lead a peaceful life. I hope that the zero-day will happen in five or six years. India ranks 3rd in the world. We need to be more aware. Some people have misconceptions about the disease. They think that if one talks to a patient, they can contract the disease. But it won't. It is mostly spread through the transfusion of blood. People should be aware of all this. Disease can be prevented if we are aware of the causes," Karnataka CM said.
"Precautionary measures should be taken beforehand instead of suffering later. Efforts should be made to create collective awareness. If one contracts AIDS, nothing happens immediately. But it is an incurable disease. Despite all the developments in science, no cure has been found for AIDS. The health department must conduct research regarding this," he added.
On the occasion, the Karnataka Chief Minister also spoke to an AIDS patient.
Health Minister Dinesh Gundurao, Chief Minister's Political Secretary Govindaraju, APS President Abhay Singh, Sanjana and officials were present.
Every year, on December 1, the world commemorates World AIDS Day. People around the world unite to show support for people living with and affected by HIV and to remember those who lost their lives to AIDS. (ANI)