Why NACO has not come out with a statement as yet?

[Guest guest]

Hi everybody,

We often have politicians and other persons in powerful positions who

comment on HIV without being properly educated on the consequences of

their statements, or what the consequences could be if these

statements are put into action.

In the past, for example, we have had the Supreme Court of India Pass

the Judgement in the " Mr. X -Vs- Hospital Z " case without a single

hearing where the issues around HIV could be placed before the court.

After dismissing the matter in limini, the court proceeded to write a

judgement that can only be described as BAD, Uninformed, and Harmful.

The basic principle of Natural Justice that nothing shall be decreed

without giving hearing to the party affected was not followed by the

Apex Court and the Rights of all HIV positive persons to get married

was effectively taken away.

The statements of CP Thakur, seems to be in this light too. It does

not seem to be informed by the scientific discourse on HIV and

appears to have been made mostly from the perspective of a plebian

display of what the masses would want to hear from a politician who

does not have the acumen to use his leadership to educate the masses

himself. It is indicative of a deficient mind doing his political

brinkmanship without an iota of understanding as to the consequences.

But in this whole saga what needs to be noticed is that NACO has not

come out with a statement as yet. The reason is not far to seek. It

is the Duty of NACO [As the apex policy maker on HIV] to ensure that

the minister is duly and scientifically briefed. The very fact that

the minister has made the statement that he has is proof that NACO

has failed in discharging this duty.

Now all that can be hoped is that the statement of the minister is

not put in action. It will reflect badly on India. Also what will the

state do about persons of Indian Origin coming back to India after

prolonged stays abroad. Would they also be tested? What if they test

Positive, would India then deny entry to its own citizens?? Or would

it again go back to the days of quarantine and repeat the atrocities

that it heaped on Dominique D'Souza on a further 3.8 million or 8

million or whatever is the real figure numbers of its citizenry.

Every agency has to justify its existence, and its time NACO did this

by giving the Honourable minister a thorough debriefing on the basics

of HIV, the Rights discourse around it, and educate him why

artificial and politically motivated barriers like to one the

minister proposes is no stopper to the spread of the infection.

The real stopper would be if the state recognised the rights of all

vulnerable groups, be they CSWs or MSM or Hijras or IDUs, promote

their rights, empower them to take the necessary decisions to protect

themselves, and live as equal citizens. It would happen if state

agents like to police and the constabulary do not impede intervention

and education work every stage of the way for fear of loosing out

their traditional 'over the top income'. It would happen if more than

mere lip service, treatment for HIV positive persons become a reality

happening out there to be accessed and not in fancy policy documents

that delevers jack-shit to the one dying without medicine. Maybe all

this will happen partially if the Honourable Minister ensures there

is a five fold increase the health budget.

But then because there is no one to listen to sanity, and because

those responsible for spreading sanity do not do so, do we have

insane comments from ministers.

Regards

Aditya Bondyopadhyay

E-mail: <adit_bond_2@...>

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