News Headline
DD, NACO AIDS campaign a success, reveals survey
NEW DELHI: The latest survey on the impact of the HIV and AIDS awareness media campaign by Doordarshan, National AIDS Control Organisation ( Naco) and BBC World Service Trust reveals a significant positive change in regards to knowledge, attitudes and behaviour.
The survey conducted by ORG/Johns Hopkins University Centre in October-November 2002, (approximately 10 months after the media campaign got under way), took a sample size of more than 7,000 in the key Hindi-belt focus states.
According to a release , the survey indicates that the campaign’s TV spots had reached more than 50 per cent of the target population (some 43 million people). Also, the campaign’s interactive TV detective series Jasoos Vijay had reached more than 40 per cent of the target population (some 34 million people).
Interestingly, the survey also reveals that the TV spots had a substantial impact on people’s actions and intentions. 11 per cent had already taken action as a result of the spots, and 40 per cent intended to do so in the next six months. Actions included condom use (approximately 25 per cent ), the discussion of condom use for protection against Sexually Transmitted Diseases (approximately 35 per cent ) and consulting a doctor on STI symptoms (approximately 15 per cent).
Similar findings were recorded for the serial Jasoos Vijay. The survey showed equally encouraging results for the campaign’s TV youth show, Haath Se Haath Milaa, aimed at raising awareness among youngsters who are most vulnerable to AIDS. Surprisingly, around 90 per cent of young viewers recalled the key messages that AIDS spreads through unprotected sex with an infected person; through infected needles; through infected blood; and that AIDS was life threatening and had no cure.
The ORG/Johns Hopkins survey also examined the acceptability of the messages in the initial phase of TV spots. It showed that 95 per cent of respondents found the TV spots acceptable as between themselves and their spouses; 60 per cent found them acceptable among family members and 50 per cent found they were acceptable among friends. This finding reinforces the high level of acceptability for the spots established in pre-test surveys before the campaign was launched.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
