Caritas India and GTB Hospital Unite for World AIDS Day

Caritas India’s Gram Nirman Urban Team in partnership with Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital, New Delhi, commemorated World AIDS Day 2025 with a series of meaningful activities to raise HIV/AIDS awareness and combat stigma. The celebrations centered around the theme “Overcoming Barriers, Transforming the AIDS Response,” emphasizing solidarity with People Living with HIV (PLHIV) and advocating for inclusive healthcare access.

The Gram Nirman program in Delhi, supported by Caritas Australia, works in 18 urban slums in East Delhi, focusing on rehabilitating families living with HIV/AIDS in densely populated areas marked by socio-economic challenges. East Delhi’s urban slums, home to migrants from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Rajasthan, face severe infrastructural deficits. Many clusters lack basic amenities, making health and livelihood interventions critical to improving quality of life and well-being.

On November 27, the Urban Team organized a drawing competition within GTB Hospital’s Children’s Outpatient Department to engage young participants creatively. Under the theme “Colors of Hope,” children expressed their solidarity with PLHIV, helping spread awareness in a way that resonated emotionally with families and health visitors. This activity showed the community’s willingness to confront stigma with compassion and hope.

World AIDS Day on December 1 was marked by a vibrant and educational program at GTB Hospital. The event opened with a documentary titled “Inculcating New Hope for a Better Tomorrow,” showcasing the struggles and progress experienced by slum communities under Caritas India’s Gram Nirman Urban Program. Esteemed guests included Dr. B.B. Rewari, Professor and Epidemiology Specialist and former WHO Regional Advisor; Dr. S. Anuradha; Dr. Vinod Kumar; Dr. Dheeraj Shah; and Dr. Alpana Raizada, Nodal Officer of the ART Clinic.

Speeches highlighted the importance of early detection, treatment adherence, and addressing social stigma. Dr. Alpana Raizada applauded Caritas India’s commitment to tracing Lost-to-Follow-Up patients, ensuring access to Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART), home-based care, counseling, and promoting livelihood opportunities. In a concrete step towards economic empowerment, five motorized sewing machines were distributed to PLHIV beneficiaries to enhance their income-generating capacity, handed over by Dr. Arun, Head of Community Medicine at GTB Hospital.

The program also highlighted the strong partnership between Caritas India and GTB Hospital, ongoing since 2021, which has significantly expanded HIV treatment outreach and improved community health outcomes throughout Northeast Delhi and the NCR region.

A special feature of the day was the staging of four Nukkad Nataks (street plays) by a local slum-based troupe, performed at busy transit points including Jag Pravesh Hospital, Meeth Nagar Police Booth, and key intersections. These compelling dramatizations educated over 1,200 people on HIV transmission, tuberculosis awareness, stigma reduction, and the significance of compassion for PLHIV through relatable real-life stories and dialogues.

NGOs such as Bharatiya Parivartan Sanstha, Ganga Foundation, and Abhivyakti Foundation joined in the signature campaign, encouraging the public to pledge “Together, We Overcome. Together, We End AIDS.”

The day’s events concluded with a moving candle march through the intervention area, symbolizing hope, unity, and continued commitment to overcoming barriers in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

World AIDS Day 2025 served not only as a reminder of the challenges faced by PLHIV but also as a call to action to foster a society built on dignity, respect, and inclusion. The collaboration between Caritas India, GTB Hospital, and community partners highlighted that through awareness, empathy, and empowerment, transformative change is possible.