Re: AIDS free India by 2010

[Guest guest]

Hi Ricky and the FORUM,

I had the same feelings when a Tamil Nadu Politician said her aim was to have

Tamil Nadu AIDS free by 2010.

I told her afterwards that her comment was very disrespectful to positive People

and it didn't help much in overcoming stigma and discrimination. I also told her

I am doing my best to have hundreds of people in Tamil Nadu living positively

with the virus by 2010 and they would not all die on cue to satisfy her vision.

She hastened to say, because others were listening to me speak to her, that she

didn't mean what I interpreted her to be saying. I asked her how else it could

be interpreted. It is the hardest job in the world encouraging Positive indians

that they have the right be well and to receive treatment and to be heard about

their needs. I also reminded her that these very people were the ones who were

best placed to help with prevention efforts.

Then when she was wishing she had not opened her mouth I suggested that a better

aim would be to say that we aim to have no new infections after 2010 in Tamil

Nadu.

She readily grasped the significance of that statement and realised what it

meant. Then I said that of course even that won't happen until we start

teaching negative sexually active indians how to avoid infection and we embark

on a comprehensive sex education program in schools to reach pre-pubescent

children with protective education messages so that they know what not to do

when they become potentially sexually active.

Included in that message should be gentle reminders that abstinence makes it

easier to avoid infection, but that information and accurate knowledge is an

essential tool for better decison making.

Then I said that it will not be a popular decision and would probably cost the

protagonists their seat at the next election.

It will not please parents but it will make a lot of grandmothers a lot less

fearful. It will also not please teachers who will probably say that these

things are best taught at home. It will also not please Temple staff

Although, I am about to introduce some training modules into one hindu temple in

Gujarat by invitation as a start to making temples part of the solution rather

than being a continuing part of the problem in many places.

It this stage the politician was looking for someone else to talk to.

This message has to be hanging from posters all over indian townships and

villages as an insurance policy that will ensure that we have an AIDS free

generation to follow this one.

It is so easy to avoid infection. The virus behaviour is much better understood

these days. There is much to learn about safe erotic behaviour and respectful

relationships. It is clear that lessons well learned will result in people's

experience of sex will be better sex at much more appropriate ages and settings

and enough information to avoid infection and being able to plan for a pregnancy

without risking the lives of either parent and the subsequent child.

It might also help to reduce the 24,000,000 live birth rate from last year to a

population density that is much more manageable.

None of this would even be on the agenda if it wasn't for HIV/AIDS and the

personal, social and economic havoc it is causing across all castes and creeds.

I hope to visit DNP+ when I am next in Delhi. I am very concerned about the way

in which VCT's are being used as a surveillance and census bureau rather than a

place where people can learn and be supported in whatever decison might be

reached by the scientists.

Someone please send me the email adresses of the national media in India but as

yet I don't have them.

Geoffrey

E-mail: <gheaviside@...>