New Delhi, July 26: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will today inaugurate a two-day `national convention of a parliamentary forum on HIV/Aids` which seeks to bring leaders from all political parties under one umbrella to fight the disease and create a roadmap for full awareness on the issue by 2007. "The Prime Minister would open the convention, which aims to strengthen the collective commitment of MPs and MLAs to actively address the issue of HIV/Aids in their respective constituencies," BJP MP Kirit Somaiya told reporters.
The theme of the convention, jointly organised by parliamentary forum on HIV/Aids, National Aids Control Organisation, Miniistry of Health and Family Welfare and UNAIDS, is `political leadership in combating HIV/Aids`. It is likely to be attended by more than 500 active MLAs and over 240 MPs from all political parties, Somaiya said adding the convention would come out with a roadmap to create full awareness in the country by 2007 end.
"We have just crossed the stage of denial and now we need to address the problem of stigma and discrimination attached with the deadly disease," he said adding there was a need to have a special session of Parliament on Aids. Bureau Report