Title - Hundreds visit Red Ribbon Express

The Red Ribbon Express, which was flagged off by Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad from New Delhi on January 12 last to spread awareness of HIV/AIDS across the country, arrived here on Friday.Hundreds of students from various colleges visited the train where information on HIV / AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, reproductive and child healthcare and general health is being provided to erase the fallacies on these ailments. It has three coaches with exhibits on HIV/AIDS, one coach on public health, and one where doctors offer counselling. There are also facilities for blood donation on the train.District Revenue Officer B. Uma Maheshwari formally received the train at Tirunelveli Railway Junction and inaugurated the two-day fair.During its year-long journey, the train will halt at 162 stations spread across 23 States of the country. The train has passed through Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka. So far, over 32 lakh people have visited the train. In its second phase in 2009, the train had reached out to more than 80 lakh people to disseminate the facts on these diseases.The exhibition intends to clear doubts on HIV/AIDS, to popularise new treatment facilities, and to educate on preventive measures. This year, the target population of the campaign is women and youth.