Express News Service By

PALAKKAD: Palakkad will be declared the first total HIV/ Aids literate district in the country on Monday. T N Kandamuthan, district panchayat president, said that in the last nine months a scheme titled ‘Jyothirgamaya’ was implemented under the district panchayat and a voluntary organisation KESS-HAPPI, towards making the district HIV/AIDS literate.

He said that the programme was implemented with the co-operation of 91 grama panchayats and 4 municipalities. The aim of Jyothirgamaya was to educate people about AIDS in reducing stigma and discrimination, protecting and bringing the affected to the mainstream of life and rehabilitating them.

Under Jyothirgamaya, Asha, anganwadi and Kudumbasree workers distributed notices in every household, conducted awareness classes, quiz competitions and rallies at the school and college level. Boards and wall writings were put up at all vantage points. A steering committee was constituted at the district panchayat, grama panchayat and block panchayat level to take forward the activities of Jyothirgamaya.

He said that these activities were undertaken in the district from January 2015 to April 2015.