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December 01, 2005

HIV Positive Indian Women March on AIDS Day

Link: Infected Indian Women March on AIDS Day.

"I marched through the town with more than 70 HIV-positive women like me ... I'm happy many women have paid heed to our call and have openly admitted to their HIV-positive status," said Jahnabi Goswami, 28. "Men with the disease need to follow suit."

An estimated 5.1 million people are living with HIV in India _ the most in any single country except South Africa. India's sparsely populated northeast, where heroin traffickers cross from Myanmar, is considered a flashpoint because of its high rate of infections among intravenous drug users.

In New Delhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Indians must overcome traditional taboos attached to sex and discuss AIDS more openly within families and in public.

Australia on Thursday announced it will spend $7.4 million over five years to help India fight the virus.

China also focused attention on the disease by launching a campaign aimed at some 120 million migrant workers, with Chinese Central Television showing condoms being passed out to workers at a Beijing construction site.

"Because of this publicity, I really feel I learned something about the harm of AIDS and I will share what I learned with my co-workers, friends and relatives," said Li Hongjian, a young worker with a large red ribbon pinned to his chest.

China's government estimates about 840,000 people could be infected with HIV and 80,000 others are likely to be living with full-blown AIDS. However, only about 167,000 are registered as being infected.

"We still have a long way to go in AIDS prevention, we cannot slack off in doing this work," said China's Vice Prime Minister Wu Yi at the launch.

Posted by Anupam Chander on December 1, 2005 at 07:18 AM in Current Affairs | Permalink

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» World AIDS Day on Indian Standard Time from Sepia Mutiny
I meant to post this yesterday and now invoke my ethnic background to excuse my tardiness. While my laptops already suffering from too much spyware to withstand finding a cure for HIV, I did want to note World AIDS Day in some way. Via Anupam Ch... [Read More]

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» World AIDS Day on Indian Standard Time from Sepia Mutiny
I meant to post this yesterday and now invoke my ethnic background to excuse my tardiness. While my laptops already suffering from too much spyware to withstand finding a cure for HIV, I did want to note World AIDS Day in some way. Via Anupam Ch... [Read More]

Tracked on Dec 2, 2005 12:46:11 AM

Comments

It is heartening to note that global efforts are on to combat the menace of HIV virus.Public awareness seems to be the most important factor.Prime Minister of India has rightly laid emphasis on openly discussing AIDS in public and overcoming traditional sex taboos.It seems that most of the affected countries have not been able to check the other route cause of transfer of the virus from the foreign visiters whether from Myanmar,Bangladesh, South Africa,Thailand, or from some other virus affected nationalities to a country of their visit, for obvious reasons of boosting tourism.The loopholes on the entry points need to be plugged and the tourists from the affected countries may be asked to produce medical evidence of their being free from the virus. The law for registeration of the affected persons need to be strictly enforced.The brothel houses both legal or illegal need to be cleared of the menace by removing the affected persons from there.NGOs assisted by specialist Doctors can be of great help.The grass root machinery such as Anganwadi workers in India can be utilized more effectively to spread awareness.The day is not very far,though, when our medical researchers find hundred percent cure of this disease.

Posted by: veerendra | Dec 1, 2005 7:28:27 PM

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