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Journalism of Courage
Andhra Pradesh, among the worst hit by HIV/AIDS in the country, is set to become the first state to pass a legislation to make it mandatory for couples to undergo HIV testing before they can get married. According to officials, the intention behind the move is to make sure that there are no HIV positive babies born in the state by 2007.
The issue was discussed today in the Andhra Assembly, shortly after Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy and other MLAs took HIV tests.
Andhra Pradesh Principal Secretary (Health) P K Agarwal said that the government has not yet decided on how exactly the new measure will be implemented. He said the Assembly had not yet passed any legislation on this but had only discussed it. “The climate in the state is right for such a Bill and legislators are serious about bringing in such a legislation. So a formal Bill should be passed soon,’’ he said. Sources said that such a Bill is likely to come up for approval in the March session of the Assembly.
Agarwal said that the thinking behind such a move was to make sure that no children are born with the disease. “Sex is one of the main reasons that the disease is passed on. If it is known that the parents are HIV positive, then medication can ensure that the child is not born with the disease. Just because the parents have the disease, it does not mean that children have to get it as well,’’ said Agarwal.
According to international AIDS charity AVERT, HIV prevalence at antenatal clinics was around 2 per cent in 2004 and 2005.
That figure is higher than in any other
Indian state. NACO estimates that more
than 400,000 people are living with HIV in Andhra Pradesh.
Maharashtra and AP together account
for 10 per cent of the country’s HIV-affected people, and the the International HIV/AIDS Alliance warns of a larger HIV epidemic
if adequate control measures are not applied effectively.
AP plans to ensure ‘Zero HIV Positive child to be born in the State from 2007’. The campaign has been named as ‘0/7’.
Chairing the first state level committee on AIDS recently, CM Reddy said “we should evolve a programme to see to it that at least the newly born children do not get affected by the disease. We should take steps to test every delivery case and prevent newborns from getting affected”.
According to Health Minister K Rosiah, contraceptive measures are not very popular in the state.
“Since condom use is not very popular, we are considering tough measures like compulsory HIV testing, “ he said.
Agarwal said that the government
would have to organise a large number of consultations with concerned parties,
including Medical institutions and NGOs, before a method of enforcing such a law could be decided upon.
