724 join Aids Charity Run & Walk at UMS
KOTA KINABALU: A total of 724 people from all walks of life took part in the AIDS Charity Run & Walk 2018 held at the compounds of Chancellor Hall, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) yesterday.
The event, which was held in conjunction with World AIDS Day 2018, was organised by UMS and Persatuan Perubatan Desa Sabah (Perdesa) and co-organised by the Sabah Health Department and Persatuan Pelajar Perubatan (Medstas).
During the event, Assistant Trade and Industry Minister Azhar Matussin presented portions of the proceeds to two organisations, the Wadah Pencerdasan Umat Malaysia and the Sabah AIDS Support Service Association (Kasih).
To show support for the fight against AIDS, UMS had opted to organise its own HIV/AIDS Awareness Week 2018 from December 1 to 8.
Various programmes were held over the course of the week, namely a poster-designing competition, creative video-making competition, awareness workshops, colouring competition and the charity run.
“The purpose of the HIV/AIDS Awareness Week 2018 is to spread more awareness on the disease, especially among the Higher Learning Institutions (IPT) students and to encourage more members of the public to take preventive measures in curbing the spread of the disease,” said Azhar, who is also the Karambunai assemblyman.
The charity run was divided into two categories, 5km and 7km.
Also present at the event were the Faculty of Medicine and Health Science Dean Prof Dr Mohammad Saffree Jeffree and City Hall Director-General Datuk Amrullah Kamal.