HYDERABAD: Volunteers, trained under "AIDS Awareness and Sustained Holistic Action," will make house visits in the State from February next to create awareness among the people aged 5-49 years about the disease.

Replying to a two-hour debate on HIV/AIDS in the Assembly on Tuesday, Health Minister K. Rosaiah said the Government had instructed Collectors to prepare comprehensive action plans for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care.

Details of the district-wise action plans are being worked out.

He said that under a pilot project, counselling service was being offered at primary health centres in collaboration with the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention of the US and Catholic Hospitals Association of India.

The facility of free ARV drugs supply would be extended to all hospitals from January 1 in Prakasam district where the incidence of the disease is high.

Sex education

Participating in the debate, V.V. S Murthy (TDP) said introduction of sex education at class IX and X levels at least could be considered by the Government for prevention.

He complained against the trend of posters, commercial advertisements, films and TV serials portraying women as objects of sex and sought steps to check this trend. Dr Murthy said the chances of the baby contacting HIV from mother was more if the delivery was through normal procedure.

He suggested delivery through Caesarean section to minimise the risk.

K. Nagesh (TRS) said migration of labour from Telangana was one of the reasons for the spread of the disease and wanted steps to improve their living conditions to halt the migration. He asked the Government to avail of the services of RMP doctors.

M. A. Gafoor (CPI-M) said some doctors were discriminating against HIV/AIDS patients. G. Kishen Reddy (BJP) said the disease was more prevalent among the youths threatening to remove this most productive age group from the population. P. Venkateswarlu (TDP), Shailajanath (Congress) and K. Ramulu (Janata Party) spoke.

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