fighting AIDS with laughter

[Guest guest]

Fighting AIDS with laughter

Hindusthan Times ,7th Jan.02

Imagine someone addressing a public meeting through a microphone covered with a

condom. Don’t be funny , you would say . But, that’s what Dr.I.S. Gilada, Sunil

Dutt’s Public Health Secretary and HIV /AIDS consultant, did to urge people to

use condoms. Infact he can do anything to drive home a point .Anything .Even

wear condoms in the neck.

He hung a garland of condoms to urge people for safe sex. But why on earth did

he cover microphone with condom? Says Dr. Gilada “for those who says that condom

use reduses sexual pleasure”.

“I told them if you can hear them properly , then you sure can enjoy sex wearing

a condom”. Speaking at Indian Science Congress On HIV Epidemic ;Dr. Gilada told

that the best way to check HIV infection is awareness. The best way to convince

people is to show them an example, he said adding, “ of course I could not wear

condoms where this should be worn”.

He invoked Lord Narada and Ganesh to advice religious people,. “I was afraid

hurting people’s sentiment but in case of Ganesha and Naradmuni people tend

allow some liberties”. Dr. Gilada says “I said Lord Ganesha’s prashad for

children and condoms for adults”. I also circulated cartoons (called them

‘sextoons’ if you will). showing Lord Ganesha telling Narad muni to ask people

to have safe sex, and Naradmuni (who became Nirodhmuni running with a bag of

condoms).In a lighter vein he asked people to change postures instead of

partners……

Dr. Gilada also used the platform to blast the Govt. specially NACO explianing

why he left a cushy Govt. job. “I realized I was fighting two viruses : Govt.

and HIV. I am a small man the diminutive campaigner said ,”I could not fight

them both.

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