Mysuru: The district was in the 20th position in terms of the number of HIV/AIDS cases among pregnant women, informed Dr T Raghu Kumar during an AIDS Awareness Program organized by NSS students of Maharaja College.

Addressing the gathering, he educated the students’ on the difference between AIDS and HIV and precautionary measures to be taken to avoid these diseases from spreading. Most the AIDS patients are in age group between 20-40,  so felt that youth should be educated accordingly.

Currently there are over 25 lakh patients in India and lack of information regarding AIDS is the main reason for the present situation. Manipur and Nagaland where most the citizens are drug addicts’ stands first followed by Maharashtra, AP, and  Karnataka with 2.5 lakh patients affected by AIDS.

Mysuru Urban alone has 12,000 patients apart from which there are positives in Nanjangud, T-Narsipura, Hunsur, HD Kote, KR Pete and Periyapatna.

The Aids awareness program was presided over by Dr B Nagaraju Murthy Principal Maharaja College, Dr Shaheena Begum NSS program and Dr Suresh coordinators Maharaja College were present.