Mysuru:  A conference on ‘HIVe Mysuru 2024 – ART Update: Challenges and opportunities to end HIV/AIDS and TB’ was inaugurated by Arjun Ranga, CEO and Managing Director of N. Ranga Rao and Sons, at a private hotel in city on Saturday.

The conference was jointly organised by city-based Asha Kirana Charitable Trust Hospital and AIDS Society of India, Mumbai.

Speaking after inaugurating the conference, Arjun Ranga said it is imperative that awareness programmes about communicable diseases must be increased.

Programmes must be organised to eliminate inferiority complex among the HIV/AIDS affected patients and educate people against treating the  affected patients with discrimination. Efforts should also be made to enlighten people about the preventive measures, he added.

Stating that innocent people are becoming AIDS victims due lack of awareness, Arjun Ranga said that by disseminating proper

information to the common man, it is possible to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. The service and social concerns of doctors in this connection deserves appreciation, he concluded.

AIDS Society of India President-Emeritus Dr. I.S. Gilada, who spoke at the conference said that patients affected by AIDS are not getting proper treatment because of lack of information about the treatments available. Despite the fact that it is possible to a lead a normal life like others, those affected with AIDS are staying away from treatment. We need to consider all these factors and formulate our programmes so that all AIDS affected patients get proper treatment, he added.

Continuing, he said that it is a challenging task to free AIDS patients from inferiority complex, depression  and infuse enthusiasm in their lives. But it is possible through continuous research, exchange of information and counselling, opined Dr. Gilada and concluded by lauding the efforts of Asha Kirana

Charitable Trust Hospital for their efforts to protect the interests for the AIDS affected patients.

Lectures were given by experts through presentations. More than 150 HIV specialists participated in the meet.

Dr. Dilip Mathai, President, AIDS Society of India, Dr. S.N. Mothi, Chairman and Founder-Trustee, Asha Kirana Charitable Trust Hospital, Mysuru, Dr. Mahesh Kumar and K.S. Gururaja, Trustees of Asha Kirana Hospital and others were  present on the occasion.