Goa: Sex workers responsible for AIDS spread ;Health Minister

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

Forwarding this article to show how the `outsider' syndrome still prevails

and how sex workers continue to be seen as `responsible for spreading the

disease'. Mariette. E-mail: <mariette@...>

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Sex workers responsible for AIDS spread

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The Health Minister, Dr Suresh Amonkar said that the problem of Acquired Immune

Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is not of Goan origin and the commercial sex workers

in Baina area, constituting 60 per cent CSWs from Andhra Pradesh and 40 per cent

CSWs from Karnataka, was mainly responsible for spreading the disease in the

state.

Dr Amonkar who earlier inaugurated the zonal AIDS awareness workshop organised

by the Directorate of Field Publicity, Maharashtra and Goa region, in the city,

said that the state government, however, has to fight the situation and try to

arrest the spread of the disease. " The change in attitude and behaviour of the

local population, rather than the AIDS awareness programmes, would go a long way

in controlling the dreadful situation, " he added.

The Health Minister, in his address, also stated that till September 2003, there

were 534 HIV infected patients in the state, besides 331 persons suffering from

full blown AIDS, further pointing out that nearly 80 to 85 per cent of these

infected persons are non-Goans.

The current available figures of AIDS patients on an all India level are not

accurate and whatever statistics we have forms the tip of an iceberg, r Amonkar

mentioned, coming out with the information that on the global scenario, 28

million people have fallen prey to this disease till date and the AIDS toll has

claimed more lives than the casualties of the World Wars.

The Directorate of Field Publicity is one of the major tools for spreading an

awareness about this menace, he said, adding that a survey conducted in Goa last

year revealed that 95 per cent of the people contacted were conscious about the

causes, modes of transmission and preventive measures regarding AIDS.

Speaking further the Health Minister said that another survey came out with the

observation that 80 to 85 per cent of the CSWs in the state knew about the

sexual behaviour and its role in spread of AIDS.

" A study has also concluded that the persons in the age groups 0 to 15 and 16 to

29 were more prone to be infected by AIDS and hence the government has decided

to engage young intern doctors for having interaction with the school and

college students about the spread of AIDS, " he said, pointing out that the

students would be more comfortable while having interaction on the subject with

someone close to their age.

The AIDS infected population is mostly observed near the coastal regions of Goa

and hence schools in the coastal belt would be covered on priority, Dr Amonkar

mentioned.

He also mentioned that the local village panchayats were provided with compact

discs containing AIDS awareness programme, which could be screened for the rural

population. " The government is also trying to use the local festivals like

Shigmotsav for passing across the information about AIDS, " he informed.

Earlier, the joint director of the Directorate of Field Publicity, Pune, Mr J R

M Pawar gave a brief account on the activities of the directorate. The field

publicity officer from New Delhi, Mr S P Malik, speaking about the role of the

directorate in AIDS awareness campaign, said that the field publicity units

around the country would participate in an anti-AIDS campaign from December 1,

the World AIDS Day. " A number of mediums including films and close interactions

would be used for the purpose, " he noted. The local field publicity officer, Mr

G K Pai welcomed the gathering.

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The Navhind Times 20/11/03 page 3

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