AIDS and Navaratri message from PHO

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PRESS RELEASE/ AIDS Navaratri. October 6, 2002

PHO GREETS NAV-RATRI 's WITH SAFE-SEX MESSAGE and CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM

Come Nav-ratri and PHO's AIDS-Line -Tel.3719020 gets unusually busy as it often

gets turned into Sex- Infoline. Last week PHO came across a 17-year old girl

Usha (name changed) who was infected with HIV following unsafe sex with her boy

friend during last Nav-ratri. Momentary pleasure in spur of a moment shattered

her dreams and that of her family. Efforts are on to get her boy friend in

Voluntary Counselling Testing (VCT) and to convince on his liability to marry

her, albeit a child-marriage in legal framework! Usha is just one example of its

kind. A teenaged girl asked, where she can get 'Condom Tablets' to be taken to

avoid AIDS, in case she falls prey to the pleadings of her boy-friend for sex.

Another caller asked, could he take any medicine to 'cure' HIV as post-exposure

prophylaxis (PEP), in case he gets in to unprotected sex. Several callers are

seeking advice on safe sex, oral sex, how to avoid pregnancy and when to

ascertain the pregnancy or HIV tests? Last year a college principal needed

scientific advice from PHO on 'safe-disposal' of used condoms lying in her

college premises that was leased out for 'Dandia'.

For centuries, India has been a land of deities, religions and sects. Religion

plays important role in individual lives, in 'knitting' social and national

fabric and now even 'knotting' sex-ties. Youth celebrate festivals with fervour;

spend lot of time and money with little of restraints. Discussing sex is still

taboo in our society with double moral standards. Of recently pre-marital sex

has become routine for youth, but thanks to wiser counsel, many are turning to

safer sex - such as kissing, non-penetrative sex, condom-protected sex etc.

Though the parents do exert restriction on the mobility of their female children

all around, Navratri is an exception.

It has been a well-documented fact the end of Navaratri (nine nights), is

beginning of nine-months for some! It's another thing that none wants to

complete the gestation period and consequently abortions go up significantly (by

50%) in post-Navratri period. According to PHO, Navaratri Festival in Mumbai

alone costs Rs.500 Crore. Lakhs of youngsters spend nine nights, some of them in

risky activities.

In the era after ban on Gutkha most of the Navratri sponsorships are coming from

Cigarette and Alcohol companies. Ironically, the cash-crunched state Government

had exhibited its largesse by granting exemption on Entertainment Tax on

Dandia-collections. In most places of Maharashtra and Gujarat consumption of

alcohol and seeking pleasures from friends or sex workers increases many fold

during Navratri that follows 'Shravana', a Hindu month of religious restraints

on such vices.

Rather than imposing dry-period during the festival, the Maharashtra Government

has imposed a heightened quota of revenue collection from bars; which will force

bar-owners to push alcohol sales. The Navratri mandals are too busy to impose

'Code of Conduct' on the participants of 'Disco-Dandia' and even political

leaders do not bother to issue any such guideline though they spend a lot of

time and energy in their rhetoric of publicising themselves through banners and

hoardings sprung all-over. Of late we have witnessed deaths of budding

youngsters who suffer from several diseases concurrently- variety of TB,

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), complications of alcoholism and HIV/AIDS.

They leave behind parents/grand parents, HIV affected widows and orphans.

According to PHO, Alcohol consumption is a precursor to having risky lifestyle

in majority of youth.

PHO INITIATIVE: Realising the value of utilising religious festivities for

larger AIDS awareness cost-effectively, PHO initiated campaign with courage and

caution, but with a thorough sense of social responsibility. Specially devised

slogan, " Khelo Beshumar, Par Karo Surakshit Pyar " and 'Dance with anyone, Love

with only one' has become part of many dandia programs. The positive response

has been a topic of global interest and curiosity. This year even Mumbai

Municipal Corporation and Mumbai District AIDS Control Society launched a

campaign using Ganesha festival on PHO lines.

GUIDELINES: Campaigns should be planned in advance using right messages without

hurting religious feelings. Leaflets on basic information on consequences of

unprotected sex should be distributed with the theme - 'If you can't be good, be

careful' forewarning the youth: 'Look before you leap and Think before you

sleep!'

While efforts should be made to prevent HIV/STDs and pregnancies; VCT facilities

should be popularised. Those who have been exposed to unsafe sex should take HIV

test after 3 months. The girls should also take pregnancy test 2 weeks after

missing their periods. Follow five levels of prevention: No sex outside

marriage; Avoid penetrative sex; Use condoms in penetrative sex; Take HIV test

if risk is taken; Take proper medical consultation, if tested HIV positive.

Dr.I.S.Gilada, Secretary General, PHO

E-mail: <ihoaids@...>

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