YOUTH INTERVENTION PROGRMME
In India, people in the age group of 15-29 years comprise almost 25 percent of the country’s population; however, they account for 31 percent of AIDS burden. This clearly indicates that young people are at high risk of contracting HIV infection.
YOUTH VULNERABILITY IN INDIA
- Young People (15 to 29 years) – 40 Crores – 1/3 of Population
- Adolescence (10 to 19 years) – 5 Crores – 1/4 of Population
HIV Prevalence among YouthAge Grooup Estimated HIV Prevalence Male Prevalence Female Prevalence 10-14 0.07 % 0.06 % 0.08 % 15-19 & 20-24 (Combined) 0.06 % 0.10 % 0.02 % 24 & Above 0.33 % 0.37 % 0.27 % * (Source- SIMS, 2018-2019 data
Most young people become sexually active during adolescence. In the absence of right guidance and information at this stage, they are more likely to have multi-partner, unprotected sex with high risk behaviour groups. They are also less likely to have information on the risks of contracting HIV and the means of protecting themselves from the infection. Such youth may face repeated risk of HIV infection through peer pressures.
Joint Working Group (JWG) for Youth were formed during the year 2014 and every year meeting with the members was convened under the Chairmanship of Secretary Health, Puducherry. As discussed in JWG meeting, the implementation of Youth Intervention Programmes of Adolescents Education (AEP) Programms, Red Ribbon (RRC )Programme and Out of School Youth Programme (OSY) have been carried out in this UT.
Activities on Youth Intervention Programme:
New India @ 75 Campaign:
- New India@75 programme was successfully implemented in the U.T of Puducherry by engaging/mobilizing the adolescents and youth from the selected Government Schools and Colleges at the district/state level by organizing awareness generation campaign for HIV, TB and Blood donation as proposed by NACO in a phased manner.
- Social media campaign was conducted as part of New India @75 Campaign, the poster making competition, “Extempore” competition on HIV, TB and VBD for Schools and Colleges and distributed prizes to winners.
Quiz Competition:
- 2020-21: State level online quiz competition for the college students on HIV, TB and COVID-19 was conducted and about 543 students were participated. The Regional level quiz for Southern States also hosted by Pondicherry AIDS Control Society during 2020-21, comprising of 08 States i.e Tamilnadu, Puducherry, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Karnataka, Odisha and Andaman and Nicobar. The Puducherry team comprising of two students has secured First place in the Regional Quiz and the Fourth Place in the National Level Quiz organized by NACO and Hon’ble Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, GOI, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, gave e-cheque @ Rs. 25,000/- Puducherry team on 12/01/2021.
- 2021-22: State level online quiz competition was conducted and the winners have been felicitated by Hon’ble Chief Minister on 29/12/2021 during the observance of WAD-2021 programme. The Puducherry Team has been participated in the Sub-Regional level quiz organized by Telengana State. The Regional Level Quiz for Southern States have also been hosted for 2nd time on 19th February 2022 in hybrid mode and the Cash prize to the winners/participants of Regional level quiz awarded by Pondicherry AIDS Control Society.
- 2022-23: State level online quiz competition for the college students on HIV, TB and COVID-19 was conducted in three level during month of November 2022.
- The Regional level RRC quiz for Southern States/UTs has is also hosted by Pondicherry AIDS Control Society (Third time) on 16th December 2022 at Hotel Jeyaram, Puducherry in physical mode with the presence of NACO officials.
- The winners of Regional level quiz i.e Puducherry Team comprising of Students Participants of H. Harsitha, Mahatma Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences, Puducherry and Ms. T. Rajasri, Kasturba Gandhi College for Women, Puducherry have been attended the Grand Finale of National Red Ribbon Quiz held at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on 12th January 2022 and Secured 2nd place in the National level. The prize amount of Rs.75,000/- was given to the individual winners by dividing the prize amount by the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Puducherry.