Sushma out, ads for condoms in

[Guest guest]

Sushma out, ads for condoms in

OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

New Delhi, July 23: Condom advertisements are back on television now

that Sushma Swaraj is no longer the health minister.

The National Aids Control Organisation (Naco) is expected to use

these ads more extensively now to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS in

the country.

Health ministry officials today acknowledged that pulling out the

television spots had affected at least one of the AIDS programmes

and the government had been forced to extend the deadline for the

scheme.

The idea was to ensure that high-risk groups like sex workers, truck

drivers and labourers were made familiar with condoms and convinced

of the necessity of using protection before sex.

The aim was to cover more than 90 per cent of the high-risk group by

this October. So far, only 49 to 50 per cent have been covered. The

deadline has thus been extended by two years.

Condom use is essential in India because 85 per cent of its HIV

cases are sexually transmitted. In Manipur, the virus is spread by

intravenous needles used by drug addicts.

The officials admitted that Swaraj's decision had affected the fight

against AIDS. " It sent out the wrong signal, " health secretary

J.V.R. Prasad Rao said.

Swaraj and the NDA government had preached abstinence, self-control

and single-partner sex for the prevention of AIDS. " It (condom use)

is against Indian culture, " she had said, adding that many people

had asked her to take out the condom spots.

Meenakshi Datta Ghosh, Naco project director, too, said India had

slipped a little on its condom promotion even as the recent Bangkok

conference had again proved that its use and popularisation was one

of the best ways of preventing the spread of AIDS.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040724/asp/nation/story_3534915.asp

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum:

I welcome the decision to promote condom use through television and other media.

I would like to make some comments about the statement of targeting " high risk

groups like sex workers and labourers " for condom use. As far as HIV/AIDS is

concerned, the target should be " high risk behavior " -- anybody who practices

high risk behavior is vulnerable to infection.

There are some occupations, where people have a higher probability of practicing

high risk behaviors-sex workers and their clients may be one. But I don't

understand why " labourers " are included in this group? If they are vulnerable,

what about the people who do not earn their living through

physical labour? Are they not vulnerable? Given that we have over 5 million

people who are infected, the so called " high risk " groups are not the only ones

practicing high risk behaviors.

Without knowing the rate of safe sex practices among different groups it is

highly stigmatizing to designate some groups as " high risk " .

Designating some occupational groups as " high risk " is not only stigmatizing but

also breeds a sense of self complacency among people who are not part of that

group that they are not vulnerable.

It is high time we emphasize preventing " high risk behaviors " in general in our

campaigns instead of targeting " high risk " groups.

Regards,

Sathi Dasgupta.

E-mail: <sathi_dasgupta@...>