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Make HIV testing mandatory before marriage: Minister

PUDUCHERRY: Minister for Tourism and Local Administration Malladi Krishna Rao on Saturday said HIV testing should be made compulsory for both men and women before marriage. The marriage should be registered only on production of the test certificate.

Speaking at a workshop for commune and village panchayat leaders on the occasion of World AIDS Day, he said the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet had cleared a similar proposal recently.

“In the next Cabinet meeting, I will propose that such legislation be brought in Puducherry as well,” he added.

Yanam, which was situated near East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, had a very high incidence of HIV/AIDS. Pamphlets with facts about the syndrome were being distributed to all rural households once a month, he said.

“Last year we brought out a small booklet and distributed copies of it to about 50,000 people in Yanam. We also take steps to spread awareness among the people through puppet shows,” he said.

Member of Parliament M. Ramadass said the only way to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS was respecting societal values. Poverty was one of the major reasons for the spread the syndrome. Throughout the world this year alone a total of 2.1 million people had died after being affected by AIDS.

Thirty lakh people in India had been affected, he added.

“Though India has shown an economic growth of 9.2 per cent, development is yet to reach around 40 per cent of the population,” he said.

Pondicherry AIDS Control Society Project Director Gilbert Fernandez explained about HIV/AIDS and the need for people to test for HIV. He asked them to motivate people in their wards to take the test and to treat people with HIV/AIDS properly.

Director of Health and Family Services Dilip Kumar Baliga said HIV status cards should be provided to people who have taken the test.

A total of 85 local body representatives were present at the workshop during which they interacted with an HIV positive person.

They posed questions about how it had affected her life and whether being HIV positive led to social stigmatisation.

Most of those present pledged to take the test and said they would motivate others to take it up too.

Chairperson of the Puducherry Municipality B. Sridevi and MLA R. Siva also spoke.

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