World AIDS Day, observed December 1 each year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. The theme for World AIDS Day 2007 and 2008 is “leadership”. This theme will continue to be promoted with the campaigning slogan, “Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise.”
On the occasion of World AIDS day, AI Nepal organized a daylong health rights awareness workshop on “HIV/AIDS and health rights” for the medical students of BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) at Dharan, Sunsari on 1 December 2007.
The medical student network of Amnesty International Nepal has been doing various awareness raising activities on health rights and HIV/AIDS at BPKIHS since the past one year. Campus chief Mr. Chandra Limbu of Mahendra Multiple Campus, Dharan, inaugurated the training session and highlighted on the HIV/AIDS problem and human rights. Another Speaker of the inaugural session Ms. Dil Kumari Rai, Vice-president of indigenous people’s association shed light on the state of HIV/AIDS in the rural areas and among lower class households in the society.
Altogether 35 students of current MBBS batch from the BPKIHS took part in the workshop. The students are AI youth members. The training program was coordinated by Mr. Rajnarayan Mandal, Coordinator, National Health Professional Network of AI Nepal. Physician Arjun Parajuli, Mr. Mandal and Hem Kumar Khadka were facilitators in the training session.
Following the training program, signatures were collected on behalf of Uzbekistan national Mr. Skandar Khudaiberganov. The signatures were collected urging for adequate medical support from the Uzbek authorities to Mr.Skandar. Mr.Skandar is presently on death row in Tashkent prison of Uzbekistan without appropriate medical facilities. He is suffering from Tuberculosis. On the occasion, around 70 signatures were collected from medical professionals. The collected signatures will be posted to the Uzbek President, Islam A. KARIMOV shortly. National Health Professional Network of AI Nepal has been organizing series of health rights actions, according to the action circular by the health and human right team of the IS.