Title - Red Ribbon Express chugs into Mancheswar railway station

BHUBANESWAR: The Red Ribbon Express exhibition train, which is on a whirlwind tour of the country to spread HIV/AIDS awareness, attracted a huge crowd at Mancheswar railway station of the city on Tuesday.

Attending a function organized to mark the arrival of the train at the state capital, health minister Prasanna Acharya said concerted efforts are needed by everybody to counter HIV/AIDS and other health challenges.

The train, the third of its kind, is on its last leg in Odisha with Balsore to be its last stop in the state after the halt in the city. The train touched Koraput, Kantabanji, Balangir, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Angul, Cuttack and Ganjam during its Odisha sojourn.

The train, which was flagged off in the second week of January from New Delhi as part of the third edition of HIV/AIDS awareness campaign, arrived in Odisha on June 20 during its nationwide journey of 23 states, covering 162 halt stations.

The special train has six coaches. While three coaches are dedicated to an exhibition on HIV/AIDS, the fourth coach exhibits information on tuberculosis, malaria, reproductive and child health services, general health and hygiene.