Mandatory HIV testing: Many states fear backlash

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Many states fear backlash

Thursday November 8 2007 13:54 IST ENS

BANGALORE:Many state governments, including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh

and Goa, had been toying with the idea of introducing mandatory

testing, especially HIV, before marriage.

But after opposition from various quarters who believe that it would

be discriminatory to do so, the idea was dropped. Director General of

National AIDS Control Organisation (New Delhi), Sujatha Rao says that

NACO would not advocate making medical test mandatory before marriage.

" Officially we do not agree to mandatory testing before marriage. We

do not see the utility or value of it. Having said that, we do

understand that it is a social and ethical issue and therefore we

believe in voluntary testing and for people to be responsible and

aware. We would have no objection to counselling before marriage but

testing has to be voluntary and not mandatory, " Sujatha Rao says.

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