The Tibetan community in Dharamshala observed World Aids Day with an awareness programme about the deadly disease on December 1 in the main square in Mcleod Ganj. The events were jointly organised by the Central Tibetan Administration’s (CTA) Health Department, Delek Hospital, Lha Charitable Trust, Kunphen, Dharamshala Rotary club and the Regional Tibetan Women’s Association.
Street Procession at Mcleod on World Aids Day
Photo:Contact/Lha
Delek Hospital, Dharamshal Rotary club and Lha Charitable Trust carried out awareness events such as a skit performance, distribution of condoms, group singing, distribution of pamphlets about the prevention of the deadly disease and precautions to prevent infection, followed by a street procession calling for a collective effort to prevent the spread of new infection of Aids. A free blood test campaign was set up at Delek Hospital, McLeod branch, for which around 40 people turned up. In the afternoon, Dr Tenzin Dasel from Delek Hospital gave a talk about Aids.
Speaking about the importance of marking the day, Dawa Phunkyi, Chief Administrator of Delek Hospital is quoted by Phayul as saying, “the social and cultural stigma attached to the disease in the Tibetan community has decreased comparatively, yet the apprehension and dread associated with the ailment continues to pull people away from embracing it as a reality, which is in fact happening everywhere in the world.”
Virinder Singh Parmar , the HP Zonal Chairman of Dharamshala Rotary Club said that Dharamshala being a tourist centre, people from all over the world come here and there is a risk of carrying different kinds of diseases into the locale. Therefore, he feels it is crucial to organise these kinds of awareness campaigns and events.
In reference to Lha Charitable Trust’s involvement in the event, the organisation’s director, Ngawang Rabgyal said that the NGO holds Aids awareness campaigns every year, as a practical reminder to people of the danger of this disease. He further added that according to the exile government, the Tibetan community has seen close to 130 infected Tibetans with death toll of 60 people, which is a legitimate concern in a small community like ours.
Kunphen on World Aids Day
Photo:tibettimes.net
Kunphen, in collaboration with the CTA’s Health Department and the Regional Tibetan Women’s Association, organised events on the day. To give a message that Aids is spreading in the world, they displayed a tree, with condoms and Aids symbols hanging from the branches. They also arranged an awareness talk for Tibetans living in and around the Norbulingka area. Kunphen’s Director and Tibetan MP, Dawa Tsering said, “through this tree, we want to tell people that this disease is growing in the world like a tree, especially in Tibetan community.”
The CTA’s Health Department Minister, Dr Tsering Wangchuk in a statement mentioned that with help of Norwegian Church Aid, Health Department’s project focusing on providing support to the infected Tibetans and to prevent new infection is underway.
World Aids day is observed every year with different themes to show solidarity for people who have died from the disease, and campaigns to support those who are suffering from it. This year’s World Aids day theme is “Getting to zero: Zero new infection, Zero discrimination and Zero Aids related Death.”
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