Orissa Govt asked to make AIDS testing compulsory

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Sunday, June 14, ompulsory2009 : 1345 Hrs

Berhmapur (Orissa) (PTI): The Orissa government has been urged by social workers

to make blood tests of brides and grooms compulsory before marriage to screen

and check the dreaded AIDS.

" The blood examination will reveal if the bride and groom have been afflicted

with any deadly disease and it is only way to arrest their spread among the next

generation, " Loknath Mishra, director of Aruna, an NGO working to tackle AIDS

and spread awareness about the deadly disease.

The blood test should made mandatory to check increasing incidence of AIDS in

the state, said Sudhir Sabat, another activist.

The number of persons who tested positive for HIV in Orissa was 13,039 in April.

Of them 1085 persons have been diagnosed as AIDs patients, while 868 have died

of the disease, official sources said.

" Orissa will be the second state in the counrty after Kerala if the state

government makes blood test of the bride and groom mandatory before marriage, "

Mishra said.

" It will not only enable a happy married life for the couple but also help in

making the society AIDS-free, " Sanjeet Patnaik, secretary of Sova, a

Koraput-based NGO said.

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/099200906141321.htm