Calcutta, June 13 :    Calcutta, June 13:  Creativity and communication to fight HIV/AIDS was the focus of a two-day resource-building meet at the American Center for care-givers and health workers. On Tuesday, a collage of information was on display at the HIV/AIDS Educational Materials Fair, while on Wednesday, spokespersons from various walks of life shared their views on effective modes of combating the pandemic. Tuesday's fair, attended by health minister Surya Kanta Mishra, had on show a number of tools and awareness materials, side-by-side with patachitra and street theatre. From derivatives of Ludo and Snakes and Ladders to condom-use promotion posters, and even a pack of cards all about AIDS prevention and care, the 'first fair of its kind in India' made a wide range of resources available to local and national NGOs, doctors and policy-makers from 60 organisations. Public-service audio-visuals were also collected from various agencies across the country. On the hour, every hour, actors performed skits designed for advocacy. A representative from an NGO sang about HIV/AIDS prevention, along with illustrations on a pata. 'India is at the risk of suffering Africa's fate,' said Rex Moser, director of the American Center, on Wednesday, quoting from a recent article in Newsweek. And while West Bengal is considered a low-risk territory, USAID is planning to step up operations in the eastern region, with Operation Lighthouse, a scheme designed to check the spread of the virus in ports (including the Calcutta port area) and along trucking routes. 'We expect to start operations within a couple of months,' said Bethanne Moskov, team leader, infectious diseases, at USAID's New Delhi Office of Population, Health and Nutrition. Bethanne also spoke of another USAID project, the Life Initiative, in which Africa and India are to receive special attention for the control of AIDS. 'The incidence figures in India are very misleading. Weak surveillance systems aside, the sheer population of this country makes even a small percentage of infection hard to handle,' she continued. Currently, an estimated 3.9 million Indians are infected with the virus, though there have been only 20,300 cases reported. Other speakers included health secretary A. K. Chakrabarti, who spoke on the governmental role in AIDS control, and Ram Ray, managing director, Response India, who shared his views on effective strategies for public-service promotions. A session on effective use of media followed, with doctors, social workers and mediapersons using case studies to illustrate means of reaching out to the masses.