New Delhi, Nov 29 (IANS) Delhi Health Minister Kiran Walia Monday said an awareness campaign about AIDS will be launched in the capital’s slum areas from Dec 1.

Elaborating on the plans by the Delhi government to mark World AIDS Day, Walia said a Red Ribbon Marathon will be organised besides plays.

‘An integrated campaign ‘Delhi Bole AIDS Nahin’ will be launched apart from carrying out Nukkad-Nataks and Prabhat-Pheris in juggi-jhopri (slum areas) localities of Delhi,’ the health minister said.

Walia also stressed the need for protecting the human rights of the HIV/AIDS patients, and said that a helping hand should be provided to them.

There are 94 integrated counselling and diagnostic centres, 9 Anti-retroviral centres besides 5 drop-in centres operational in the national capital for treatment and care of HIV/AIDS patients.

Awareness is a necessary element in fighting AIDS in slum areas.