A first:: Kerala reserves post for HIV positive

[Guest guest]

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: This is a quota that is unlikely to be embroiled in a debate

about merit dilution and fairness. Kerala became the first Indian state on

Tuesday to reserve a government job for HIV positive candidates, marking a new

sensitivity for those afflicted with the killer virus.

The Kerala State Aids Control Society (KSACS) announced that it had reserved a

vacancy in its office for HIV positive candidates with the hope that the

presence of such a person will improve coordination and communication with

groups at risk and ensure effective prevention.

" We have issued advertisements inviting applications to the post of coordinator,

People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA), only from candidates who are HIV positive.

Earlier, we had set this as a desirable factor, but then we decided to make it

an essential one, " KSACS project director and special secretary, health, Usha

Titus told TOI.

" Right now in Kerala, we have what is called 'drop-in centres'. They work to

facilitate grouping or association of people with HIV/AIDS. The belief is that

when they come together, they would get to share their problems and it would be

a great relaxing factor, " Titus said.

But there are thousands of HIV affected who still keep themselves out of these

collectives, for fear of being identified and perhaps ostracised by larger

society which still sees HIV and AIDS patients as dangerous and dissolute.

" The aim of reserving the post is to reach out to them. We believe that a

lifestyle modification may be possible if somebody who understands their problem

better is in charge. It will also help us send out our message in a better way

as the channel of communication will be better, " Kerala State Aids Control

Society (KSACS) project director and special secretary, health, Usha Titus said.

AIDS prevention groups laud Kerala move to reserve post

NGOs working in the field of HIV and AIDS prevention said they were delighted.

" This is a very positive step. The best way to fight the disease is to break the

confidentiality which is maintained by those affected by it to avoid the

associated stigma, " said J Rajasekharan Nair of Thrani, an NGO working with

high-risk groups like sex workers.

" When Mandela's son died of AIDS, he had said that the HIV affected

should break the confidentiality, " he said.

" They should be encouraged to come forward as confidentiality can only lead to

their isolation. "

Kerala has an estimated 25,000 HIV positive people. The prevalence is maximum

(5% to 10%) among ingesting drug users followed by high risk groups like male

and female sex workers, where the rate is 0.2%. Also an average of 0.13% of

pregnant women test positive for the disease.

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