Speakers at a meeting here have called upon the media workers for bringing the transgender population, including hijra people under the HIV/AIDS prevention programme.The mass media could play the most vital role in creating adequate awareness among the vulnerable groups about HIV/AIDS to prevent spreading of the silent killer disease and save the whole population from catastrophe, they said. They were addressing the “District Level Journalist Group Meeting” organised by ‘Light House’ at Rangpur Drop-in-Centre (DIC) office in the city on Saturday afternoon with senior journalist Nazrul Mridha in the chair.
Expanding HIV Prevention in Bangladesh, RCC Programme and The Global Fund extended assistances in arranging the meeting under the HIV/AIDS programme to bring the transgender and other vulnerable group population under medicare facilities. Acting Manager for Rangpur DIC of ‘Light House’ Shahabul Islam delivered keynote presentation narrating activities and achievements of the organisation during the months of October, November and December last year. He said 590 beneficiaries were brought under the programme against targeted 629 during the period. A large number of local journalists from the print, electronic and online media took part in the open discussions and question-answer sessions in the meeting. The speakers said HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) have been posing a severe threat to human life. They suggested taking special measures right now involving all vulnerable groups to stop spreading of HIV/AIDS and STDs. They called for greater role of professional groups including the media workers, GO-NGOs and conscious people in preventing further spread of the deadly diseases through comprehensive and well-coordinated efforts. -BSS, Rangpur
