KSAPS Launches Eight-Month Red Ribbon Awareness Campaign Across Karnataka Colleges

Mangaluru: The Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS) has launched an eight-month Red Ribbon awareness campaign across colleges in the state to improve awareness about HIV/AIDS among students through regular campus activities and digital outreach.

The primary objective of this initiative is to reach the youth group through both direct (physical) awareness programs and digital outreach, while encouraging healthy competition among colleges through a transparent scoring system.

As part of the college campaign, universities in the state have been asked to instruct affiliated colleges to conduct awareness programmes every month for eight months. Colleges will also have to submit monthly reports on the number of students who participated in the programmes and the number of people reached through digital platforms. District AIDS Prevention and Control Officers will coordinate the campaign at the district level.

The college campaign is part of the state's broader Mobilisation for AIDS Suraksha (MAS) initiative, under which KSAPS is stepping up HIV awareness among different sections of society. In addition to colleges, several government departments and public sector organisations have also been asked to participate by promoting HIV awareness, encouraging people to assess their HIV risk through a QR code-based self-assessment tool, and organising integrated health camps in coordination with district AIDS prevention units.

The departments that have been asked to participate include the Police Department, Higher Education Department, Technical Education Department, Transport Department, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation and its regional corporations, Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation, Panchayat Raj Department, Social Welfare Department, Food and Civil Supplies Department, Backward Classes Welfare Department, Industries and Commerce Department, Mines and Geology Department, Labour Department and other government agencies.

According to estimates by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), around 56,000 people in Karnataka, including those in the general population as well as high-risk groups, are living with HIV without having undergone testing and therefore remain unaware of their HIV status.

To help such individuals assess their risk, they are being encouraged to use the Break Free India – HIV Self Risk Assessment tool by scanning a QR code. People can scan a QR code, answer a few questions, and assess their level of risk. Those identified as being at possible risk are advised to visit the nearest Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre (ICTC) for voluntary HIV testing.

Since the programme was launched in 2004, a total of 2.03 lakh people living with HIV are presently receiving treatment in Karnataka, of which 39,028 are in the 18-35 age group.

According to officials, HIV testing has not been made mandatory. Under the HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017, no person can be compelled to undergo an HIV test. The QR code-based assessment is only a screening tool to help people understand whether they may be at risk, and those found to be at risk are only advised to voluntarily undergo testing at an ICTC.

Apart from the Red Ribbon campaign in colleges, KSAPS has also launched a Mascot campaign to create awareness among people in the state who are unaware of their HIV status. In addition, HIV awareness messages are being promoted through advertisements on dating apps to reach people who may be at a higher risk of HIV infection and encourage awareness about prevention and testing.