[india-drug] World AIDS Day (2) *****************

["ibnsinaacademy" <ibnsinaacademy@gmail.com>]

AIDS Cell of Ibn Sina Academy organized a two day programme to mark the World AIDS Day - 2006 in collaboration with Indian Medical Association, Aligarh branch and Faculty of Law, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. The program, which comprised of a series of symposia, exhibition and students' sensitization, was inaugurated at 11:00 am in the Library Hall of Ibn Sina Academy. Prof. M. Saleemuddin Pro Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, the chief guest, on the occasion said that there was a need to magnify the scale of efforts to control AIDS.  There are a number of issues on which the local communities have to develop their own method of action. 

He called for wider research on different aspects of HIV/AIDS in the settling of current rise of AIDS in India.  In the same program, the souvenir edited by Dr. Syed Ziaur Rahman and Dr. Md. Tauheed Ahmad as well as the exclusive CD Rom of the AIDS Cell was released. Dr. S. Jawed Akhtar, Director, Aligarh Ayurvedic & Unani Medical College, was the guest of honor. Prof. S. Zillur Rahman introduced the activities of the Academy to 
the distinguished audience. A big number of academicians, doctors and students attended the program. The inaugural program was followed by the Students' Sensitization drive in different schools of Aligarh. AIDS Cell resource persons interacted with High School & Senior Secondary School students. In the afternoon, the symposia on medico-social implications of HIV/AIDS was organized from 3:00 pm, eminent academicians viz Prof. Abida Malik (In charge VCCTC, JN Medical College), Prof. Rajeswari Sharma (In charge PPTCT, JN Medical College), Dr. M. Athar Ansari (Reader, Dept. of Community Medicine, JNMC) and Dr. Syed Ziaur Rahman (Lecturer, Dept. of Pharmacology, JNMC), presented their lectures on different aspects of HIV/AIDS in relation to their expert subjects respectively. The session was chaired by Prof. Abu Qamar Siddiqi, Dean Students' Welfare, AMU, Aligarh & Dr. Raj Kumar, General Physician, Aligarh.

A special session on Law and Ethics in relation to HIV/AIDS followed, in which Prof. Faizan Mustafa, Registrar, AMU & Dean Faculty of Law delved into the different ethical concerns in relation to HIV/AIDS. He informed about the legal rights, rules and regulations framed for HIV/AIDS patients in different countries. He also touched laws in relation to social stigma and discrimination. Prof. Usha Singhal, Dean Faculty of Medicine and Dr. C. P. Gupta, General Surgeon, chaired this session. Both the above scientific sessions were very well attended by members of both IMA and Ibn Sina Academy. In the end, Dr. Abdul Latif, Joint secretary, Ibn Sina Academy, presented vote of thanks.
On the second day, 2nd phase of students' sensitization was convened and a number of schools were covered. This was followed by another symposium of free papers and poster presentation under the chair of Prof. Ashraf Malik, ex-chairman Department of Paediatrics, JNMC, AMU, Aligarh.

contributed by:
S. Ziaur Rahman, MD
Programme Coordinator
JNMC, AMU, Aligarh