Re:BBC: India plans AIDS screening of foreigners

April 25, 2002

India plans AIDS screening of foreigners. snip... " HIV infection came to India

from abroad and it still continues. CP Thakur, Health Minister " India's Health

Minister, CP Thakur, said the plan to check all foreigners would go a long way

to curbing the infection rate in the country.

Right. Someone here (on this forum) told us that this wasn't going to happen.

How much would this cost? To test every tourist?? It's a nonsensical an idea as

mandatory testing, a notion of abject idiocy propounded in the richer United

States by right wing nutcases. Ultimately, even they could see how fiscally

irresponsible it was, let alone practically impossible. Not to mention missing

folks who might be infected but not yet seroconverted.

And then I read: CNN World News. India, the world's second-largest buyer of

ilitary hardware, plans to start jointly producing its own weapons as well as

boost defense purchases in a bid to become a more powerful player in the wider

Asia region. Complete story:

Gee. Just like my stupid country. Plenty of money for machinery of death.

Yet hospitals in India are in a despicably dismal state. Too many care

providers are ignorant about HIV and too many are viciously prejudiced

against people with HIV. Cheap antivirals are made IN INDIA--yet Ashok

Pillai--and thousands of other Indians die.

When are Indians going to start getting a little bit pissed off at the

corruption? When are you going to start getting a little angry?

There's no fucking affordable lube in India. How can there be safe

sex? Oh! I used a bad word. Dear, dear. (And thank you, corporate America

and & for helping to kill Indians.)--Maybe India and the

United States can take a clue from Iran where they apparently have lots of

condoms and a successful population control program. Geez, even a strongly

religious state like Iran can talk about safer sex!!!!

I realize cultures are different, but this constant refrain of " we do not

talk about sex in India " has GOT to go. Or again, you'll be like the idiots

in my country who espouse a completely failed program of " abstinence only "

in which millions are poured to no effect.

Wake up, India!!!! It is time for a satyagraha-style activity against

HIV/AIDS!!!

M.

E-mail: <gmc0@...>

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