Red Ribbon Award 2008
 
For the FIRST TIME, Orissa State AIDS Control Society and ActionAid Orissa
felicitated the following persons and sectors for their exceptional contribution
to HIV prevention and control efforts in Orissa on the occasion of World AIDS
Day at Ravindra Mandap, Bhubaneswar as part of mainstreaming initiative.
 
1. Government Sector: Director, Social Welfare, Department of Women and Child
Development, Govt. of Orissa for initiating the inclusion of HIV positive
persons in the Madhubabu Pension Yojana, the first ever state-wide social
security cover for Persons Living with HIV in the country.

2. NGO Sector: Indian Red Cross Society, Orissa Branch, for partnering with
OSACS in order to bear travel cost reimbursements of Persons Living with HIV to
and from Anti-Retroviral Therapy Centres.

3. Corporate Sector: Ballarpur Industries Limited- Unit Sewa for setting up the
first Anti-Retroviral Therapy Centre in the state under Public-Private
Partnership, at District Headquarter Hospital , Koraput.

4. Activism:

a. Ms. Namita Nanda, President, Shraddha Network for positive women, for
establishing the first womens’ network in the state and working for women's
rights, especially that of HIV positive women. The network is one year old on
1st of December 2008.

b. Mr. Neeraj Mishra for taking leadership in promotion of positive networks and
enabling greater linkages between Persons Living with HIV/AIDS and services
provided for them, both inside and outside the state, and for promoting the
principles of GIPA.

5.  Media: Mr Hrushikesh Mohanty, Correspondent, Times of India for consistent
and positive media coverage on HIV/AIDS and for generating greater awareness on
HIV in one of the highest prevalence districts of the state.
 
In Solidarity
 
Sashikanta
 
Shashikanta Mallick
e-mail: <shashikanta.Mallick@...>