The Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Madhaya Pradesh state has awarded a
Catholic-managed care center for its outstanding service to some 4,000
people living with HIV in the state. Sister Geeta Joseph Chennattu accepted the Best Community Care Centre Award on behalf of the center from State Health Minister Anup Misra, in the presence of Health Education Minister Narottam Misra on Dec. 1, the World AIDS Day, in Gwalior.
Sister Geeta, a member of Servants of the Holy Spirit Sisters, is director and project coordinator of Vishwas Community Care Centre in Indore. It cares and supports some 4,000 people living with HIV in the area.
The theme of the World AIDS Day 2012 was “Getting to Zero: Zero new HIV infections, Zero deaths from AIDS-related illness, Zero discrimination.” The center was awarded for its attempts towards helping the state achieve these goals by providing quality care, support and preventive work in this field.
The Care Centre was started in 2008 and Sister Geeta a founding member. The center aims to improve "the survival and quality of the life of the people living with HIV/AIDs.
The state AIDS Control Society organized different programs on World AIDS day in Gwalior, such as Red Ribbon Rally, candle light rally to create awareness among the public about HIV.