Ab Tak Chopan! Red Ribbon Express Chugs into the 100th Station and it is UP

[Guest guest]

Ab Tak Chopan! Red Ribbon Express Chugs into the 100th Station and it is UP

Anjali Singh

Chopan, Sonebhadra: It was a monumental event as the Red Ribbon Express rolled

into Chopan, a small station, in Sonebhadra district in UP on July 17, 2010.

Received with much pomp and show by both locals and the district

administration, the train that carried with it messages of “zindagi

zindabad†entered its first destination in UP armed with messages for a

healthy and safe life for all.

The station was decked up with festoons and balloons and was choc a bloc with 

stalls done up in the symbolic red and white colors all set to combating the

threat of HIV/AIDS. Street plays, puppet shows, dances and awareness stalls on

the theme entertained and educated  the visiting people on the platform as they

awaited the arrival of the train.

As the train entered platform 1 on its hundredth halt, the excitement of the

people of Chopan could not be contained. Everyone was eager to hear and see the

innovative exhibits that it carried to educate them about protecting themselves

against HIV/AIDS, STIs and RTIs.

During the three day halt Panchayat Raj Institutions, members of Self help

group, frontliners like Ashas and Anganwadi workers,  Youth Groups and women

all were  also trained and oriented about educating and advising people about

the disease in their district through sessions held by UNICEF, UPSACS and NACO

representatives.

During it’s stay at Chopan from July 17-19 2010 the more than 13,000 who

visited the train not only got a education on safe and healthy practices which

help protect one from HIV/AIDs but also got a chance to seek counseling cum

medical examination and treatment for STIs, RTIs, TB and other problems they

faced.

With the health minister Ananth Kumar Mishra, inaugurating the Red Ribbon

Express on its arrival, the exhibits were open to be viewed almost immediately.

On the first day itself the footfalls on the train post inauguration was over

1834 persons.

Addressing the crowd collected Mishra stressed on the fact that this was a

historical event which will help keep people in Uttar Pradesh healthy and safe

against threats of life threatening diseases like HIV/AIDS, swine flu, TB etc.

He said, “When I heard about the Red Ribbon Express I was very keen to be

present when it entered the state of Uttar Pradesh. That’s why I made sure

that I would be  in Chopan to receive it so that my being here could attract

attention of not only the people but all those agencies that can spread the news

of the train travelling through out UP, so that it can be viewed by as many

people as possible.

Only awareness about the disease can help protect us from the threat we all face

and the Red Ribbon Express is an important step to deal with the threat of AIDS

in this part of the country. It is the aim of the state government to educate

the people as much as possible. Even though the RRE is central government

initiative I am aware that without the state government’s support reaching

people at the

grass root level will be impossible.

Therefore we are keen to associate with the event and make it a huge success. My

congratulations to the UP State AIDS Control Society for planning this venture

so well in the state.

Also present on the occasion was the District Magistrate Sonebhadra,

Pandhari Yadav, who said, “The RRE was very welcome in the Sonebhadra as it

will help protect the people from the hazards of dangerous disease like

AIDS/HIV.

I assure every one associated with the Red Ribbon Express and the Central

Government too that the people will participate with enthusiasm in making the

journey through UP  huge success. This is a very powerful way of educating the

masses and I hope that in the next 2-3 months that the express will be in the

state it will be the people who will benefit the most.

Echoing his sentiments also was Kusum Lata Srivastava, Addl Project

Director, UPSACS, who said “The effort being put in to make the RRE a success

is a joint effort of all related agencies in the state and central government

who have collaborated with us. But I would also like to acknowledge the role of

the counsellors and other staff like ANMs and Asha that have interacted with

people on the train to give advice to those seeking it for their problems.

Speaking on the occasion CMO, Sonebhadra, Dr Kuriel termed the Red Ribbon

Express a unique campaign, saying, “It is a matter of pride that the largest

multimedia campaign of educating the common man was being launched from Chopan.

It is more meaningful here as this is a district where vulnerability to HIV/AIDS

is greater owing to the truckers population passing through it.

In addition the illiteracy makes it difficult to arm people with measures to

protect themselves from the disease. In such a

situation the Red Ribbon Express comes as a blessing in disguise for all of us

and we should make the most of this opportunity to be learn how to be safe and

healthy.

The event was also attended by doctors from both government and private

hospitals, ANMs and Ashas from Vinobha Bhave Ashram Chopan who were supported by

staff from Target Intervention groups from Nehru Yuva Kendra Sonebhadra. They

all helped man the exhibits and explain and interact with the visitors.

Also present at Chopan were representatives from collaborating agencies like

UNICEF, Create,  Water Aid and HLFPPT which made it indeed an event that the

district would never forget.

The train was then flagged off on the afternoon of July 19, 2010 to move to

Chattisgarh and Jharkhand to return to UP on August 29 2010 and remain in UP

till October 10.

Augustine Veliath,

Communication Specialist

UNICEF Lucknow

3/194, Vishal Khand, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow 226010

Phone 91-522-4093311

Phone 91-5222303151 to 56

Phone 91 5224093151

Fax 915222303158

Fax 91 522 4093157

email aveliath@...

website www.unicef.in

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