Incidences of HIV/AIDS were growing with the forces

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Indian security forces not the healthiest: survey

July 14, 2009

* 25 percent of all soldiers have serious ailments

* 400 men already claimed by AIDS

NEW DELHI: An official survey in India has found that at least 25 percent of

paramilitary personnel are suffering from serious ailments like diabetes,

hypertension, skin diseases and even HIV/AIDS. These personnel include troops

from the Central Reserve Police Force, the Border Security Force, the

Indo-Tibetan Border Police and others heavily deployed in Indian-held Kashmir

and the North-Eastern states.

The survey conducted by the Ministry of Home Affairs found that 122,700 out of

500,000 troops were affected by these ailments. " Health problems are on the rise

and affecting the performance and morale of the forces, " the report said.

Morbid situation: The survey found that incidences of HIV/AIDS were growing with

the forces having already lost 400 men to the disease.

Experts are baffled by the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS among soldiers posted in

peaceful areas, despite instances of forces contracting HIV when posted in

war-torn areas. " We can't understand as to why people who are allowed to stay

with their families are getting infected, " they said. An official revealed the

actual number of those infected could be more since the HIV test was optional.

The official said that though the government was distributing contraceptives as

a measure to prevent the spread of AIDS, it could not officially promote its

use. " If we ask them to use contraceptives, it would go down as an official

order. It would then become difficult to control the men, who might look around

for partners outside the base areas, " he said. iftikhar gilani

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