MANGALORE: "Patients suffering from Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) need all the moral support and care that they can get from society, but instead they are increasingly ostracised.

The attitude amongst people towards AIDS patients needs to take a positive change and with it will come a larger awareness about the dreaded disease,'' S.S. Vadilal, District Governor of the Lions Clubs International, has said.

Addressing a one-day AIDS awareness workshop organised by the Lions Clubs International here today, he said: "Although AIDS awareness is gaining momentum in urban centres, people in rural areas still remain unaware about it and the way it is spread. Also, the youth in both rural and urban areas are known to be susceptible to this dreaded disease hence, they should be made aware of this disease in the adolescence period itself."

Lawrence D'Souza, administrator of Fr. Muller Medical College, said: "Those suffering from AIDS are always shunned by their close ones but, there is no need for such a treatment towards the AIDS-affected as the disease did not spread by mere contact."

He said that educating people about the disease was the need of the hour.

There was no definite cure known for this disease, hence the best treatment could only be prevention, he said.

Kripa Amar Alva, Vice-Dist. Governor of the association, said that most number of AIDS cases were being seen amongst youth in the age group of 18 to 30

Awareness about the disease given at the right time would go a long way in controlling the spread of the disease.

The workshop, which had doctors from Fr. Muller Hospital as resource persons, was jointly organised by the Elizabeth Glaser Paediatric Aids Foundation, an organisation that concentrates on AIDS transmission from mother to child.

The workshop was organised with the aim of training the participants to undertake projects related to AIDS awareness.