Shimla, Dec 1 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, officially launched the ‘Car Bin’ initiative on Sunday, aimed at enhancing HIV awareness and maintaining cleanliness.
In its initial phase, 4,000 taxis will be outfitted with these bins at no cost to the drivers, with the intention to eventually equip all 30,000 taxis across the state in subsequent phases.
While presiding over the 37th World AIDS Day event, the Chief Minister highlighted that the state has implemented important measures in the last two years to tackle HIV-related issues and to enhance overall healthcare services.
He mentioned that targeted individuals are receiving equal opportunities for awareness, testing, and treatment.
In the year 2024 alone, 800,000 people were educated about HIV, and from January 2023 to October 2024, a total of 234 testing camps were held, with an impressive 592,902 individuals tested for HIV.
The state currently has 55 testing and counselling centers along with two mobile testing units providing complimentary HIV testing services.
The Chief Minister introduced the “3-G Formula” for HIV prevention: “Get Aware, Get Tested, and Get Victory over HIV.” He encouraged the youth to embrace this principle and actively participate in spreading awareness.
“It is essential that young people understand HIV so that they can motivate others in their communities to voluntarily get tested for HIV,” he stated, calling for increased youth involvement in initiatives such as Red Ribbon Clubs.
Furthermore, he assured that HIV-positive individuals will receive free treatment and medications through anti-retroviral therapy (ART) centers immediately following diagnosis.
Currently, 5,897 individuals are benefiting from free treatment and medication services. He expressed concern regarding the connection between substance abuse, syringe usage, and the proliferation of HIV.
“The growing issues of drug abuse among youth and the use of syringes are alarming, which poses a serious risk to the future of upcoming generations,” he remarked.
