Who is AIDS? There’s no one by that name in this village

[Guest guest]

Two articles on AIDS in Goa.

Preetu Nair in Gomantak Times

PANAJI: December 1 each year marks a global event dedicated to a new theme on

AIDS and this years theme is “Women, Girls, HIV and AIDS”, which reflects a

focus on how the effects of HIV/AIDS have significantly increased among women.

Women now make up half of all people living with HIV worldwide and the ratio of

new infections among women compared to men is even higher within the 15–24 age

group.

And in Goa also the situation is no different. In the last few years there has

been a dramatic increase in HIV infection among young women, between the age of

15 and 29. In the year 2004, 50.4 percent of young women were detected with HIV

compared to young men. The strikingly higher infection rates among adolescent

girls compared to boys in Goa reveal a disturbing trend.

According to the data available with Gomantak Times, in the last three years,

the number of young women infected by HIV is more than that of young men. In

2002, 176 young men were infected with HIV were detected, while women were 181.

In 2003, the number of females infected by HIV went up by 187, while men were at

148. In 2004, (upto Nov) the women detected with HIV were 117, while male were

115. However, in totality, the number of men infected with HIV is

much higher (64.5 percent) compared to women.

The disease is prevalent in all parts of Goa and majority of reports are

reported in the four coastal talukas of Goa: Murmugoa, Salcete, Bardez and

Tiswadi. In the book, Containing HIV/AIDS In Goa (2003-04) by the Goa State Aids

Control Society (GSACS), it mentioned that sexual route is the predominant mode

of transmission in Goa and it ranges between 83 to 97 percent. Infection through

> blood, blood products and infected syringes/needles are negligible and

vertical transmission is around 3 to 6 percent.

A source at GSACS said that though many may not admit but a large number of

young people are sexually active at a relatively youn age, are not monogamous

and don’t use condoms regularly to ensure protection. In addition to drinking,

they experiment with injectable drugs. “However girls are vulnerable not only

because of pregnancy but they are more likely to have coerced invariably

unprotected sex than boys and they are susceptible biologically to STDs

including HIV Infection,” the source revealed.

And further added, “Inequality between sees makes girls more vulnerable to

violence, to sexual abuse and the practice of female genital mutilation.”

“There is still lack of information on health issues and discussion of sexual

matters with parents is still a taboo. Further, in school we yet to introduce

sex education as part of the curriculum.

Further many young people do not see HIV/ AIDS as a personal threat and if there

is any problem, they, especially young girls avoid going to a doctor,”

said Pereira, Deputy Director, GSACS.

Officials at GSACS believe that education is the key and failure to give them

sex education and counseling may in fact be a death sentence. “We are

going to distribute a book Disha 2000 to all students from standard IX to XII.

The book will help students know about themselves, their adolescence and

sexuality. The books also talks about the basic facts on HIV and other sexually

transmitted diseases. It will dispel myths and clarify misconceptions,” said

Project Director, Dr PK Ghodge, and GSACS.

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Who is AIDS? There’s no one by that name in this village

While India took the lead by conducting clinical trials for the AIDS vaccine

this week, in rural Goa, AIDS can be anything A name, a plant or an

" anti-deficiency something”. This is a report called “Ignorance positive” on the

abysmal levels of awareness in rural Goa

Preetu Nair in Gomantak Times dated 11 Feb. 2005

Tiswadi: “Who is AIDS?” asked a mother of two in Agassaim, Tiswadi. She added,

“There is no one by that name in the village.”

Officially known as being more prevalent among the high-risk groups for

HIV/AIDS, Goa, could well be on a short fuse. The HIV is spreading and yet many

in the remote villages in Goa have not even heard of the disease.

Since the first reported case of a foreigner with HIV in Goa in 1987, there has

been a steady rise in the reported number of persons with HIV/ AIDS.

According to a report Containing HIV/AIDS in Goa, about 46 percent of HIV cases

detected in Goa are from the talukas of Mormugao and Salcete and another

26 percent from Bardez and Tiswadi. The National AIDS Control Programme (NACP)’s

objective is to attain ninety percent awareness levels. But a test > drive

through rural Goa showed one thing clearly.

AIDS is just a name.

While a young, newly married woman from Pillar admits that she has never heard

about HIV/AIDS, her husband quips in, “I have seen it on TV but I am not

concerned. My wife won’t know anything about AIDS.

She doesn’t watch television and she is not educated.”

And the opinion of another young woman in Cacra is no different. “I have never

heard about it. I believe no one in our village will be able to help you, as

no one knows about the same,” she said.

The situation is so bad that when GT asked a college student in Merces “What is

AIDS?” she replied, “Anti-Deficiency Something”. While her friend eplied, “I

don’t know and I am not even interested in knowing”.

When we asked a class IV government employee about AIDS, he replied that he had

never heard about it. When told that AIDS is a dreadful disease, he looked

confused and concerned. He asked, “How does one get AIDS?”