KARACHI – Greenstar Social Marketing (GSM), an independent network member of Population Services International, has launched its Touch “Know Your Status” campaign in Karachi and Islamabad/ Rawalpindi in collaboration with National Aids Control Programme (NACP).
The campaign was also partnered by United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Association Of People Living With HIV (APLHIV) and World Health Organization (WHO). Under the campaign, people in Karachi and Islamabad/Rawalpindi will be engaged in different activities through which they will get awareness regarding HIV and also they can win amazing prizes.
To promote the 17 day campaign which kicked off from November 15, GSM conducted on ground Touch ‘Know Your Status’ float activities in Karachi, Islamabad and Rawalpindi simultaneously. Eight hours of activities were conducted in each city, where people were treated to HIV awareness messages, recreational activities and interactive games such as Rapid Fire, Dart Game, Pushup competition and customized Beat the AIDS relating tongue twisters.
Dr. Saima Paracha, Program Officer at National AIDS Control Program said “Pakistan has an estimated 150,000 people living with HIV with 20,000 new infections being added to the pool each year. The HIV epidemic is slowly spreading out its tenacious roots into the general population evidenced by the infrequent outbreaks over the years. On 1st December we express solidarity with all people living with HIV. On this day let’s also join hands to promote HIV testing, HIV prevention, and HIV treatment to halt the spread of HIV”.
On the launch of the campaign, Dr. Syed Azizur Rab, CEO, GSM said “Aids is a deadly disease. Awareness about it is mandatory for its prevention. Every year an activity is planned by NACP and its partners and ‘Know your status’ is the theme for this year’s activity and Greenstar is proud to be associated with it to bring in this campaign in Pakistan. We are starting off with Karachi and Rawalpindi/Islamabad. This is being done to commemorate World AIDS Day where people visiting our floats will be given free checkups of HIV and will be educated on the disease and its preventions”.
GSM has a proud history of playing an important role in improving reproductive health of Pakistanis by increasing access to full and accurate information, quality services and a wide range of products.
