HIV awareness camp for barbers held in Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, March. 10. — The Rotary Club of Malda and the district health authorities jointly organised “one step for awareness about HIV-AIDS” among barbers yesterday evening in English Bazaar town. Barbers organised a rally under the guidance of the organisers and attend a session about HIV-AIDS awareness at Rotary Bhawan. The district health officials described the menace of this deadly disease and its protection through consciousness amongst the barbers and their customers. The deputy CMOH I, Dr S Banerjee, urged the barbers to use always new blade for shaving each customer and allow the customers who bring new blade along with them for safety. Dr Banerjee also asked the barbers to charge Rs 1 extra for a new blade and not to dupe the customers by using an old blade twice or thrice to earn profit. The CMOH, Dr Gopal Sarkar, urged the barbers to aware other barber about the menace and to maintain the basic theory of personal hygiene at each and every stall. The Rotary president, Dr B B Sen said that they would supply kit for saloon and uniform for each worker. These kits will be distributed among the barbers on Saturday. Barbers also asked about their problems and interacted what to do about them. Other speakers also urged the barbers to keep clean all equipment and requisites with disinfectants. The Rotary Club of Malda is providing tools to keep their requisite clean and have decided to conduct surprise visit to the stalls where they supplied kits. It was also discussed that barbers who have a temporary arrangement on pavements will also come under the purview of the awareness camp. On the other hand, the Rotary organisers will also visit the ladies beauty parlour to take necessary steps to prevent contamination of HIV-AIDS. However, the CMOH did not agree to disclose the number of patients affected by HIV in the district and how many of them have died till date.