Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 24 December 2023
In observance of World AIDS Day, the A & N AIDS Control Society (ANACS) orchestrated a remarkable 100-kilometre motorbike rally on December 23rd, 2023. The event, a collaborative effort of community members and youth, commenced with the flag-off by Dr. Suja Antony, Director of Health Services for the A & N Administration, at the break of dawn from Veer Savarkar Park, situated in front of the National Memorial Cellular Jail. Dr. Pragya Sharma, Director of ANIIMS, graced the occasion as the esteemed guest of honour.
Adorned in vibrant red T-shirts adorned with the emblematic World AIDS Day message, the enthusiastic bikers charted their course along NH4, voyaging until the Jirkatang check post before retracing their path along the same route. The rally was accompanied by an Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) van, serving as a moving platform for disseminating crucial awareness messages throughout the journey.
The pivotal moment arrived at the Jirkatang check post, where Dr. Subrata Saha, Project Director of ANACS, and Dr. Jahanara Yasmeen, Deputy Director (IEC), took the stage, addressing a convoy comprising approximately 100 vehicles housing both locals and tourists. The energising morning event concluded with the bikers jubilantly retracing their steps along the same scenic route.
The rally’s primary objective was to wield a tangible influence on society, amplifying awareness regarding HIV & AIDS. Over 50 fervent bikers, comprising community members, enthusiastic youth, riders from the United Riders of Andaman (URA), and representatives from ANACS, participated with unwavering zeal.
Under the overarching theme for World AIDS Day 2023, “Let Communities Lead,” the fervent belief persists that the world can eradicate AIDS, with communities steering the course toward a brighter, healthier future.