Telangana State AIDS Control Society (TSACS) is organising Red Ribbon Run on the Necklace Road on Saturday to create awareness on AIDS and HIV with a call to everyone to know their HIV status on the occasion of World AIDS Day. The awareness run assumes significance as the TSACS laid emphasis on prevention of the infection in children and women for the year 2018-19.
Though there is a 19%decline in new HIV infections and about 45% decline in AIDS-related deaths, Telangana still faces a prolonged and severe HIV epidemic. The State has a prevalence rate of 0.7% which makes Telangana a high-prevalent State next to the North-East as against the national prevalence rate of 0.22 per cent.
Ms Preeti Meena, Project Director, addressing a media conference on Friday said about 5,000 participants would take part in the Red Ribbon Run in three categories — 10 K Run, 5 K Run and 2 K Walk with prize money of ₹10,000, ₹7,500 and ₹5,000 for men and women separately in each category.