Reaching out to people with HIV/AIDS

Reaching out to people with HIV/AIDS

DENPASAR: In conjunction with the upcoming International AIDS Day on Dec. 1, the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) Bali Chapter held a poster contest titled: Reaching out to people with HIV/AIDS.

The contest, jointly supported by the Indonesian Red Cross, the Netherlands Red Cross and Global Fund, is aimed at raising people's awareness of the importance of supporting people living with HIV/AIDS.

The contest is also part of the national and international campaign against HIV/AIDS.

Bali has the fourth highest number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the country.

"At present, discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS still occurs due to a lack of information and knowledge of the issue," said contest coordinator Sastra Atmadja.

Contest participants were teenagers under 24 and well as youth organizations and local schools. Winners of the contest were SMA Negeri I state-run high school, Kediri, Tabanan Regency (first place), PMI's Buleleng Chapter in North Bali (first runner-up), SMP negeri 2, Kuta Selatan junior high school (second-runner-up). --JP