Shabana in Nepal on AIDS awareness mission

January 8, 2009

Kathmandu (PTI): Noted Bollywood actor and social activist Shabana

Azmi on Tuesday underlined the need for greater unity and cooperation

among the South Asian countries to combat stigma and discrimination

against millions of HIV infected people.

Azmi, who is SAARC Goodwill Ambassador for HIV/AIDS along with Sri

Lankan cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya, has carried on with her three-day

trip to Nepal despite Pashupatinath temple row while Bollywood

superstar Amitabh Bachchan cancelled his trip.

The actress today met Nepalese Health Minister Giriraj Mani Pokharel

and discussed issues related to prevention of HIV and rehabilitation

of AIDS-affected people.

" I am very happy to see the progress made by Nepal in the area of

fighting AIDS, " the actress, who arrived here yesterday to generate

awareness about the disease, said.

" AIDS is not only a medical problem, it also has socio-cultural links

and there is gender discrimination in this issue, " she pointed out.

" Women should be empowered and all kinds of discrimination relating

to HIV should be eliminated in order to check the spread of the

deadly disease, " she told a press conference here.

Recalling her first visit to Nepal with Dev Ananad to shoot the

film 'Isq-Isq-Isq' way back in 1974 she said adding, I have very long

and beautiful relations with the country and if anybody plans to

shoot a film here with me " I would jump to come to Nepal. "

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