Shillong, Oct 15: Hundreds of participants joined a state-level 10km RED RUN in Shillong on Thursday to promote HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention and early testing, while calling for an end to stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV.
Organised by the Meghalaya AIDS Control Society (MACS) in collaboration with the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), the event was part of India’s Intensified Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Campaign 3.0, which aims to strengthen awareness and encourage youth participation in HIV prevention.
MACS Project Director Dr K. L. Iawbor urged participants to help eliminate stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV (PLHIV). He emphasised the role of young people in spreading awareness, promoting safe practices and encouraging early voluntary testing.
The RED RUN is an annual flagship marathon conducted under NACO’s Red Ribbon Club (RRC) youth initiative. State-level winners from Meghalaya go on to compete in the national-level RED RUN.
The event also builds on the state-wide Intensified IEC Campaign 3.0, launched in August 2026 at Lady Keane College in Shillong, which focuses on grassroots outreach and youth engagement.
According to MACS data released as part of the campaign, Meghalaya has 9,244 people living with HIV, as recorded in the HIV Estimation Report.
To strengthen awareness and prevention efforts, MACS has been conducting more than 3,000 school awareness sessions and over 85 college programmes. Its outreach activities also include more than 1,000 village-level meetings and 15,000 door-to-door household visits.
Other initiatives include pop-up awareness booths, flash mobs, folk performances and special screening camps at government hospitals across all districts.
The campaign places particular emphasis on reducing stigma, which can discourage people from seeking early diagnosis and treatment. It also promotes free HIV and STI testing at government Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres (ICTCs), along with access to free antiretroviral therapy (ART) for people living with HIV.
Through sporting events and student networks, MACS aims to equip young people with accurate health information and encourage them to challenge misconceptions surrounding HIV/AIDS.
The RED RUN forms part of the broader effort to strengthen community participation in HIV prevention, early testing and treatment while fostering a more informed and supportive environment for people living with HIV.
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