Compulsory testing of foreigners visiting India

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,

Re: Compulsory testing of foreigners visiting India

I understand that one of the internationally accepted principles regarding AIDS testing is that it cannot be done without an individual's consent. If we force people coming from other countries to India to undergo AIDS test, they may prefer not to come at all. (Implications for tourism industry?) THey may impose similar tests for Indians going abroad?

Further, as experts point out, testing of a person for AIDS is not a 100% sure way of finding that person's HIV/AIDS status. Because, a person could be infected with HIV, but at a very preliminary stage of incubation (window period?) and still show up as not having HIV in the test. He/she could however pass on the infection to others.

I am not also sure if this measure (if implemented) will have any impact on the problem in India. We are estimated to have in our country anywhere between 2 to 16 million commercial sex workers, most of who do not have the negotiating capability to ensure that condoms are used during paid sex. We have a society that generally believes that it is OK for men to have sex outside marriage (as against the same for women). We have a socio-cultural climate that does not favour promotion of condom use in comercial sex, equating it with encouraging of commercial sex. All these favour the explosion of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in India in the near future.

We need to organize and empower commercial sex workers of all types (those in and outside the redlight areas), to enable them to refuse customers who donot want to use condoms. We need to work with politicians, police and other opinion leaders of the society, to get them to work for condom promotion in comercial sex.

venkataramana chitta

E- mail: balasatya@...

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