Youth Fest-2025: Awareness Marathon on HIV/AIDS Held in Parvathipuram

In an effort to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and drug abuse, the Youth Fest-2025 IEC Marathon 5K Red Run took place in Parvathipuram on Tuesday. The event, organized by Disha, brought together hundreds of youth to engage in a cause that matters. District Collector A. Shyam Prasad, the chief guest, kicked off the 5K run by lighting the sports torch and hoisting the flag.

The marathon began at S.V. Degree College and passed through four road junctions before ending at the Collector’s office. Speaking to participants, the Collector emphasized that HIV is transmitted mainly through unprotected sexual intercourse, blood transfusions, and the use of contaminated syringes. He urged people to adopt safer practices and a healthy lifestyle to help curb the spread of HIV/AIDS.

The event was held in three categories: men, women, and transgender participants, all aged between 17 and 25. District-level winners will move on to compete at the state level. In the men’s category, B. Sai clinched first place, while M. Ajay took second. P. Aruna topped the women’s category, followed by B. Spandana in second. B. Chinni was the winner in the transgender category, with B. Prashanth securing second place. First-place winners received cash prizes of Rs. 10,000, while second-place winners got Rs. 7,000.

Dr. M. Vinod Kumar, District Leprosy, AIDS, HIV, and TB Control Officer, spoke about the ongoing efforts to educate the youth through marathons, quizzes, and other awareness activities. He urged young people to actively participate in discussions to increase awareness.

The event saw participation from ART Officer Dr. Phanindra, Disha CPM K.V.R. Sailaja, DSDO Dr. Sridhar, and others, along with students and staff from local colleges, NGOs, and NACP facilities.