The Vasai-Virar Municipal Council (VVMC) will up the ante
against the spread of HIV infection in
the region, by actively involving the nine Reproductive and Child Health (RCH)
centers in its jurisdiction while launching an awareness against this deadly
scourge, Mayor Narayan L. Mankar, said in Vasai on Sunday, February 24, 2013.
The VVMC will achieve this goal through its long-standing partnership with the
Vasai Region Aids Control Society (VRACS), an initiative of the Kripa
Foundation- India’s largest NGO in the field of substance de-addiction and
rehabilitation, he added.
Mankar is also a member of the Elected Leaders Forum Against
AIDS (ELFA), which was formed as a citizens action group to prevent the spread
of HIV contagion in the region. Mankar said, the VVMC will also intensify and
extend its public awareness campaign against AIDS through its Mother and Child
Health (MCH) and the Adolescent Sex Education programs to broaden knowledge of
this disease. The VVMC’s efforts will be augmented by education and awareness
drives conducted by the Kripa Foundation, which operates a centre at Papdy,
Vasai (West) near Mumbai and other ELFA members including Dr. Hemant Patil, who
will spearhead the new offensive.
Kripa Foundation and VRACS on Sunday felicitated Mankar for
his successful election as the second Mayor of the VVMC. At a ceremony held at Kripa Vasai, Fr. Joseph
H. Pereira, Founder Managing Trustee,
Kripa Foundation, lauded the role played
by Mankar and ELFA in helping control the HIV/ AIDS contagion in Vasai-Virar
region. He noted that VRACS ( Vasai Region AIDS Control society), VVMC and
Kripa have a joint responsibility in controlling and curbing HIV/ AIDS, since
substance abuse leads to high risk behavior leading to unprotected sex that may
cause the fatal disease. While Kripa is battling addiction, VRACS and VVMC can
assist its efforts by combating AIDS, Fr. Joe, added.
Mankar in his address to the gathering said that Kripa and
VRACS was his home and although being the first citizen of Vasai Virar , he
will always be there as a board and family member.
Fr. Joe said he was pleased to see Mankar elected as the
VVMC Mayor since the two have worked shoulder-to-shoulder since 1995 in the region for its betterment.
Both hail from Vasai and hence, it was apt that a local should hold the mayoral
post, he noted. Later, Fr. Joe felicitated Mankar on behalf of Kripa Foundaton
and VRACS advisory board members by presenting him a shawl and memento.
Accompanying the mayor were Municipal council members Mr. Sandesh Jhadav and
Dr. Hemant Patil along with VRACS board members Mr. Vanmali, Dr Bansode, Mr.
Jagdish Shetty, Mrs. kanekar, Mr. Amrohi, Mr. Sharad Vichare, Dr Menon and Mr.
Bosco D;Souza.
Fr. Joe hosted a
luncheon for Mankar and his delegation along with the advisory board members of
VRACS.
Submitted by
Ashwin Honawar
Collage
Newdesk
Submitted by
Ashwin Honawar
Collage
Newdesk
