TB and AIDS awareness now through video games

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Video games and personalized advice through phone calls and messages are some of the unique measures proposed to spread awareness on tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, the '5th International Conference on Entertainment Education (EE5)' was told here Saturday.

The four-day conference aimed to create a fusion of education and entertainment to highlight life-threatening diseases and social issues.

The ten video games that could be downloaded on all types of mobile phones were developed by Delhi-based gaming and e-Learning company, ZMQ Software Systems, while research for the games was done by the students of Lady Irwin College here.

"Mobile phones have a massive reach in the country and their numbers are increasing every day. We wanted people to know the intricacies of diseases like TB and AIDS but in a fun and exciting way," Anjali Singh, a researcher and alumni of the college told IANS.

Talks are going on with several mobile phone makers and service providers to offer the games pre-installed on their devices, she said.

The EE5 has brought together well-known artists, government officials, media experts and academics from over 20 countries, showcasing how amalgamation of education and entertainment could change lives.

This year's conference focuses on women and children, aiming to help India improve its development indices, especially those related to maternal and infant mortality.

Two students from west Delhi's International Institute of Health Management Research (IIHMR) have come up with the idea of offering personalized advice through calls and messages to rural dwellers in the country.

The brains behind the idea -- 25-year-old Arshad Beg and his partner, Sharvari Ubale, 23 -- said the initiative will hopefully be launched soon.