The Red Ribbon Express, travelling throughout the year across 9,000 km made a stop at its 100 th destination, the Puducherry Railway Station, on Saturday.Earlier on 5 th and 6 th of June ,2008, the Red Ribbon Expresss halted at Villupuram, its 99 th destination, before proceeding its journey towards Puducherry.
When the Red Ribbon Express reached Puducherry,the Chief Minister of Puducherry, Mr.Rangasamy inaugurated the Red Ribbon Express Programme at the Puducherry railway station on 7 th of June, the Saturday.
The project conceptualized by the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and implemented by the national AIDS Control Organisation, is aimed at spreading awareness of HIV/AIDS and promoting safe behavioural practices.The train would be stationed at Platform I till 7pm on Sunday.
Of the total seven coaches the first three have exhibits imparting information on various aspects of HIV/AIDS including prevention, treatment, support and care. A ‘protection wheel’ displaying ways to prevent HIV transmission was one of the main attractions. Towards the end of the third coach, phone booths with messages for persons belonging to different sections of the society attracted.
Interactive sessions with government departments would be held in the fourth coach.While the fifth provided the counseling services, the sixth had cultural performances.
The Red Ribbon Express was a fantastic idea to disseminate knowledge about AIDS/HIV, throughout India.Thanks to the organizers and sponsors of the project.
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