Karnataka - Mangalore   

Draft Bill on AIDS getting ready

By Our Staff Correspondent

MANGALORE, FEB. 20. A core group of members of the Parliamentary Forum on HIV/AIDS are working on a draft Bill that will cover issues pertaining to AIDS and the people affected by it.

This is in tune with the concern expressed by leaders, including the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, about the severity of the problem in India.

Participating in a State-level seminar on HIV/AIDS and drug abuse here on Sunday, the joint convener of the forum, J.D. Seelam, expressed concern over the fact that a majority of the cases related to HIV/AIDS go unreported in India. Noting that the official numbers in this regard are suspect, he said there are doubts about the awareness on the issue among people.

Mr. Seelam said there are also differences of opinion over whether testing for the disease should be voluntary or not.

Noting that the country should combat the disease collectively, he said nearly 342 MPs have enlisted their support to the forum, and added that the core group is doing the spadework on the draft Bill.

Stressing the need to treat AIDS not just as a health issue but a social problem, Mr. Seelam said one should also view the problem as related to development and moral values.

He expressed surprise over the fact that States such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are reporting zero prevalence of HIV/AIDS, and said this is an unrealistic scenario.

Noting that there are an estimated 30 lakh panchayat members, including 10 lakh women, he said there is a need to sensitise them to the fallouts of the disease.

Separate cell

The core group has sounded the Law Ministry about the Bill, he said and hoped that it will cover issues including the discrimination of people suffering from the disease.

Noting that the Bill moots setting up of a separate cell for HIV/AIDS victims, he said it has also requested MPs to set aside Rs. 10 lakhs from their local area development fund to set up testing centres in their respective constituencies.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous | Engagements |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Updates: Breaking News |

Stories in this Section

Krishna for joint campaign to fight AIDS
Draft Bill on AIDS getting ready
Dharam Singh urged to devote more time to development
Person crushed under stone slabs
Vishnu Naika wins award
An invitation to visit Mumbai Raj Bhavan
In Mangalore Today
Readers' Mail

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu