Universities Talk AIDS (UTA)

[Guest guest]

NSS centre kicks off AIDS-control drive

TIMES NEWS NETWORK Sunday, October 14, 2001

VADODARA: To create awareness about HIV-AIDS a special Universities

Talk Aids (UTA) programme was started nation-wide.

In Vadodara, MSU Training and Orientation Centre National Services

Scheme launched the second phase of the UTA plan which involves

training university youth to spread the message through peer group

talks.

At a function organised here, MSU Pro-V-C V D Pathak and additional

director Gujarat State Aids Control Society inaugurated the

programme.

Kiran Shinglot spoke on 'Human Sexuality and Responsible Sex

Behaviour' during the inaugural function.

A session on epidemiology and clinical manifestation of AIDS was also

conducted. A three-day training programme too was kicked off here on

Friday.

" The UTA plan aims to train the NSS training officers in such a

manner that they are able to extend awareness to college youth

through conducting AIDS campaign and strengthening the youth group

for peer education, " said Navle, director of the orientation and

training centre.

He said the uniqueness of the programme is that it reaches the most

vulnerable groups and highlights the need for sex education for

control of disease, and this is done through talks by peer groups.

It uses college students to built networks in the communities and

would also focus on values and character building among the youth.

As per this plan, university students would create awareness on HIV-

AIDS through talks and NSS students would visit villages for the

awareness campaign. This has proved successful in its first phase, he

said.

The three-day programme will focus on subjects enclosed in the

programme schedule along with training and development of requisite

knowledge skill and attitude to increase the efficiency and

effectiveness of the AIDS awareness and education programme.

The UTA programme includes nine major universities of the state. The

project is sponsored by the National Service Scheme Union ministry of

youth affairs, culture and sports

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