Anti-HIV campaign launched in Cox's Bazar

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COX'S BAZAR, June 10 (BSS): A special week-long mass campaign against HIV/AIDS organised by the district information office and upazila administration got underway at Ramu Upazila of the district today.
The campaign organised under a UNFPA assisted project 'advocacy on reproductive health and gender issues through the department of mass communication (3rd phase)' is aimed at creating mass awareness on safe motherhood, gender equality, family planning programme, HIV/AIDS prevention, consequence of early marriage, reproductive health issues and violence against women.
The inaugural session of the campaign was attended, among others, by Director of Department of Mass Communication Surath Kumar Sarker, Additional Deputy Commissioner Md Arifur Rahman Apu, Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohd. Selimuddin and UNFPA's Cox's Bazar representative Wali Ahmed Fateh.
Earlier, a colourful rally of government and non-government officials, students and local people was brought out on the occasion to draw people's attention to these issues.
The programme of the weeklong campaign included discussion meeting, seminar, mobile folk song, documentary film show, debate, essay writing competition, drama, cultural programme and prize distribution.
The district information office is implementing extensive motivational campaign in the district with emphasis on one upazila each year since maternal mortality ratio, population growth rate and HIV/AIDS prevalence risk are higher and literacy rate is lower in the district than other parts of the country.