HIV testing and marriage

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum-Members,

There definitely is a need for us to seriously debate this issue

from both a public health and human rights angle. There are

several such examples of persons whose health has been

compromised because of lack of information. I am sure we have on

record several such cases but I would like to share one such case

with you.

`A 22 year old young woman discovered that she was carrying the

HIV virus after her first pregnancy. Her husband was found to

be HIV positive. On being interviewed, she expressed very

negative feelings about her marriage as she had been forced

by her parents to get married to a boy whom they had assessed

to be ``a good boy''. They were afraid that she would miss her

chance if she did not agree. On the other hand, she was keen

to continue studies after the 12th standard like all her other

friends. She was now a mother of a 22 day old infant and

resigned to her fate.''

There are several questions here:

Did the boy know or suspect that he was seropositive?

If he had known would he have shared this with his prospective

wife-to-be and her family? If his family knew, would they share

this with the prospective bride's family? What would the doctor

or counsellor have advised if the girl or boy had consulted with

him/her regarding this?

In another case, a positive person with a sociopathic personality

got involved with a girl from a rich family and got married to

her without informing the girl or the family. He robbed her of

her personal belongings, bank balance,etc. and deserted her.

She later came to know about his status and got tested

and was found negative but she remains traumatised. In this case,

several people (experts in the field and other positive persons)

knew about his status and personality and they knew that he was

out to marry this girl but they did not intervene because of the

issue of ``confidentiality''. What would you have done in this case?

In our country, many people have heard of something called AIDS but

they have low awareness about its route of transmission or means

of prevention, most persons who have been at risk or indulge in

high risk behaviour are not aware of their status, nor are they

aware of the test, and some if advised get the test done but do

not necessarily follow the precautions even after that. Young

strapping men and women will continue to be under pressure to get

marrried and to have babies.

So, as counsellors, social workers, activists, public health

specialists, what do we do?

Of course, even after mandatory testing of young people before

marriage, can we stop them from extra-marital contacts or high

risk contacts after marriage? And what about the 7 percent of

infections due to infected blood?

My stand would be rather than to go to the courts for mandatory

testing, let us start at the school level to empower our young

boys and girls with correct information and life skills to

prevent and deal with such crises in their lives. And

involvement of their families in this process is also a must.

We also need to strengthen our laws regarding property rights

of widows and their children and establish more and more

self-help groups, working women's hostels and self-employment

schemes besides care and support facilities for aids affected people.

Regards

vimla nadkarni

E-mail: vimla-nadkarni@...

[Guest guest]

Dear e Forum members,

This is in response to Prof. Vimla Nadkarni's posting on HIV testing

and marriage. The cases you mention..... can they be addressed through

the measures you suggest?

You said " My stand would be rather than to go to the courts for

mandatory testing, let us start at the school level to empower

our young boys and girls with correct information and life skills

to prevent and deal with such crises in their lives. And involvement

of their families in this process is also a must.

We also need to strengthen our laws regarding property rights

of widows and their children and establish more and more

self-help groups, working women's hostels and self-employment

schemes besides care and support facilities for aids affected people. "

I have put this in quotes just to highlight the rights and

responsibilities issue (whose rights, whose responsibilities

and the issue of being an accessory before and after the " fact " )

and practical problem solving tools available for people and

service providers at the field level.

regards

Dr Anand Chaudhuri

UNDCP-UNAIDS

E-mail: <anand.chaudhuri@...>