Srinagar, June 24: The Jammu and Kashmir Health and Medical Education Department on Tuesday flagged off two mobile Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre (ICTC) units, one each for Jammu and Kashmir province here at Banquet Hall, Srinagar, for hard-to-reach areas.
The flag off ceremony was attended by Minister for Health & Medical Education, Social Welfare and Education, Sakina Itoo, Secretary Health and Medical Education Department, Syed Abid Rashed Shah and other senior officers and officials of health department.
Speaking to reporters at the event, Sakina Itoo said the government aims to make Jammu and Kashmir HIV/AIDS-free, adding that much more needs to be done to achieve this goal.
“We want that all the people are given awareness about the disease and its preventive measures so that it is stopped and all efforts are on,” she said.
The minister said that drug addiction can also contribute to the spread of HIV/AIDS. She emphasized that the government is making every effort to address the issue and is prepared to do more if needed.
“People in far-flung areas must also be well-informed about HIV/AIDS so that we can work together to control it. If people come up with any such case they should come forward and should not cover up or hesitate,” she added.
Sakina also stressed the importance of timely diagnosis, which she said is crucial for controlling the disease, especially in rural areas.
The ICTC units that have been dedicated to Jammu & Kashmir State AIDS Control Society offer HIV testing and counselling services to individuals as advised by a medical professional and play a crucial role in HIV prevention, care, and treatment.
At the event Secretary Health and Medical Education Department, Syed Abid Rasheed Shah said the ICTC is meant for counselling and testing including the IEC campaign running for HIV, AIDS in Jammu and Kashmir as a mission for preventive aspects.
“HIV/AIDS is a preventable disease and we have controlled it to large extent and AIDS Control Society has done a wonderful job in achieving this objective and all the wings of the health department and linked with it,” he said
Shah said there is a need for awareness in rural and far-off places and they will ensure that people have the basic knowledge or information about disease prevention.
“There are many areas that are geographically distant and the awareness would be taken to the doorsteps of people there. This was the need of the hour and it will have a positive impact in the future,” he said.
The Secretary health said the healthcare workers will reach remote and hard-to-access areas to ensure that HIV/AIDS is fully controlled in Jammu and Kashmir and that this scourge is eliminated once and for all
