Every year tens of thousands of people from all over Myanmar descend on the village of Taung Pyone, located 14 kilometres north of Mandalay, for the Taung Pyone Nat (Spirit) Festival. This year, The Union, in collaboration with the National AIDS Programme (NAP), took the opportunity to reach out to the wider community to raise awareness about TB and HIV during this event.
Based from a large and colourful interactive information stand, The Union and the NAP spoke with festival-goers, spreading messages about TB, HIV/AIDS, transmission, testing, treatment and prevention. Union staff and volunteers were onsite to conduct HIV counselling and testing, and to put people in touch with the health centres providing antiretroviral therapy. The stand hosted performances and speeches and audience members were given an opportunity to test their knowledge during a TB and HIV quiz.
The Union, the National AIDS Programme of Myanmar, UNICEF, civil society organisations, and people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) Networks participated in the outreach activities during the festival.