'Women constitute 60 percent of AIDS cases in India'

[Guest guest]

'Women constitute 60 percent of AIDS cases in India'

July 24, 2001, Patiala, India: Times of India

" Women constitute more than 60 percent of the AIDS cases in India,

and 71 commercial sex workers in the country are infected with AIDS, "

said Raka Rashid, regional director of the Common Wealth Youth

Programme (CWYP) Asia Centre, while addressing the inaugural

function of a training workshop on HIV/AIDS, organised by the CWYP

and the social works department of Punjabi University, here, on

Monday.

She expressed concern over the rising number of AIDS infections

among women all over the country. She said that AIDS was not only a

global epidemic and not merely a health problem, but also a serious

social, economic, cultural and psychological problem as well.

Speaking on the occasion, A P Aggarwal, additional director general

of police, Punjab Human Rights Commission, underlined the need

for respecting the human rights of AIDS patients. He said that social

taboos attached to this disease must be done away with by educating

and sensitising the general public.

Dr J S Ahluwalia urged the need to be cautious and conscious about

the multiple dimensions of this global issue, saying that

AIDS-infected persons must not be looked down upon as there were

many other reasons for AIDS than having sex with multiple partners.

The head of the department of social work, Dr Manjit Singh, said that

attention should be given to rehabilitating HIV/AIDS patients.

Ahsas director Dr Ritu Sharma said that the need was felt for

generating awareness about this problem through various sources of

information.

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Forwarded by: Rajesh Jha

Vice President

EPOS Health Consultants

C 54 Niti Bagh, New Delhi 110 049

Tel. 011 696 3579/3946; Fax 011 696 3206

E:Mail <rajeshjha33@...>

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