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CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED TO EDUCATE PUBLIC ON AIDS
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MANY MISCONCEPTIONS EXIST ABOUT AIDS, AND ONLY WITH INCREASED KNOWLEDGE CAN PEOPLE LOOK AT THE DISEASE RATIONALLY AND WILL THEN DEVELOP THE COMPASSION AND TOLERANCE NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND AND CARE FOR AIDS PATIENTS.
THIS WAS SAID BY LADY FORD TODAY (FRIDAY) AT THE LAUNCHING CEREMONY OF THE 1990/91 EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY ON AIDS CAMPAIGN CUM EXHIBITION HELD AT THE CITY HALL EXHIBITION HALL.
OFFICIATING AT THE CEREMONY, SHE POINTED OUT THAT THE PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF AIDS REQUIRED THE CONCERTED AND SUSTAINED
EFFORTS OF ALL SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY.
"THIS EXHIBITION AND EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN IS THE FIRST CONCERTED EFFORT IN PUBLIC INFORMATION AND EDUCATION ON AIDS BE INITIATED BY THE COMMUNITY OF HONG KONG.
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"IT INVOLVES VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS, PROFESSIONAL BODIES, BUSINESS CORPORATIONS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND IS COORDINATED BY THE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON AIDS," SHE SAID.
AS PROMULGATED BY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION, THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR'S WORLD AIDS DAY IS 'WOMEN AND AIDS'.
LADY FORD STRESSED THAT IT WAS VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT WOMEN WERE PROPERLY INFORMED ABOUT AIDS SO THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD HOW IT WAS TRANSMITTED AND WHERE THEY THEMSELVES MIGHT BE AT RISK.
"THEY WILL THEN BE ABLE TO HELP THEIR CHIDREN AND UNDERSTAND THE DISEASE MORE CLEARLY," SHE SAID.
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ALSO OFFICIATING AT TODAY'S CEREMONY WAS DIRECTOR OF HEALTH AND CHAIRMAN OF THE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON AIDS, DR S.H. LEE.
DR LEE POINTED OUT THAT THIS YEAR THE GOVERNMENT REINFORCED ITS COMMITMENT IN THE FIGHT AGAINST AIDS BY UPGRADING THE FORMER EXPERT COMMITTEE ON AIDS TO THE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON AIDS.
HE EXPLAINED THAT THE COUNCIL WAS CHARGED WITH THE MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES TO ADVISE ON THE POLICY ON AIDS PREVENTION AND CONTROL AND TO ENSURE AN EFFECTIVE AIDS PREVENTIVE PROGRAMME.
HE SAID THAT THE NUMBER OF AIDS CASES AND HIV INFECTIONS IN HONG KONG WAS STILL SMALL BUT THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION HAD WARNED THAT THE NUMBER WAS EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN REGION.
**IF WE ARE TO PREVENT AN ESCALATION OF THE DISEASE IN HONG KONG, IT IS TIME FOR US TO ACT NOW," HE STRESSED.
DR LEE POINTED OUT THAT THERE WAS AT VACCINE AVAILABLE TO PREVENT AIDS.
"FOR THE MOMENT, PUBLIC INFORMATION AND MOST POWERFUL WEAPON IN THE FIGHT AGAINST AIDS,
PRESENT NO CURE OR
EDUCATION REMAIN THE
HE SAID.
/HE SAID ...............