AIDS threat to IT industry

[Guest guest]

AIDS threat to IT industry

Sanchita Sharma

New Delhi, November 29, 2005

The IT industry, including call centers, will be the next hotbed of

HIV infection in India and China, says Sir Mark Moody-Stuart,

Chairman, Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GBC).

" It's an area that urgently needs to be looked at. We assume that

young people in the IT industry are educated and well-informed by

HIV/AIDS, but all it takes is a drink at a bar and some impulsive

behaviour to get HIV, " says Sir Mark, who is also chairman of Anglo

American, one of the of world's biggest mining companies.

The GBC is a partnership of global businesses against HIV/AIDS, and

cooperates with the CII for its HIV/AIDS work in India.

HIV infection is rising the fastest in young adults all over the

world, including India, where people in the 18-30 age group are

among the most at risk.

" I visited IT service centres in India and found two of the three

danger signals: sex reactive young people who are relatively wealthy

and independent. I was surprised to find most of them lived alone,

away from their family, " says Sir Mark.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1559410,0035.htm