Rural Karnataka still has no idea about AIDS

December 21, 2001

Rural Karnataka still has no idea about Aids

New Delhi, Dec 4 (DHNS)

Villagers in Karnataka, particularly women have fairy tale ideas

about Aids, as almost 95 per cent of them believe that it is a

disease that could be transmitted through mosquito bite or by sharing

a meal with an AIDS-infected person.

These revealing facts on Karnataka which has acquired a place in the

global Aids map, have been brought out by a National Aids Control

Organisation (Naco) study that shows that though about 76 per cent

people of the country are aware about Aids, only ten per cent know

what the disease is and how it could be prevented. The study was

released by Health Minister Dr C P Thakur at a function here last

night.

Based on a survey of 85,000 people across the length and breadth of

the country, the Naco behavioural study shows that overall 76 per

cent people have heard of the HIV or Aids though there are individual

states where the awareness is poor. Based on a few indicators the

study gives a broad-spectrum picture about the awareness level about

Aids in Indian society. One of the indicators was related to probing

the spread of incorrect ideas about the disease and it has been found

that Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa,

Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Assam are the states where only about five

per cent of the population knows about the true nature of Aids, says

the study.

In Karnataka, only 5.9 per cent of females in rural areas know that

Aids cannot be transmitted through mosquito bites or sharing meals

and less than ten per cent respondents have correct knowledge about

these facts.

But Naco and the health ministry are happy about the 76 per cent

figure and have decided to go ahead with two television shows on

Aids. While, the Hindi show hosted by Neena Gupta will be aired on DD

from tonight at 10 pm, the English one, anchored by danseuse Mallika

Sarabhai, will be aired on Zee TV from March next year. Naco will

also extend its mother-to-child Aids prevention programme.

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