Goan lifestyle vulnerable to AIDS, says Governor

[Guest guest]

Goan lifestyle vulnerable to AIDS, says Governor

NT Staff Reporter

Panaji, June 8: The Governor, Mr S C Jamir today observed that Goa,

by way of its lifestyle, is vulnerable to HIV/AIDS, and the large

number of tourists as well as influx of labourers possibly carrying

infections with them may further compound the situation.

Speaking at a special ceremony held at the Raj Bhavan to launch Red

Ribbon Clubs for HIV/AIDS awareness in younger age group, the

Governor stated that the leadership should take responsibility for

controlling the HIV/AIDS menace and must not restrict its activities

to " asking for votes " .

Speaking further, the Governor said the state has to follow

directives, policies and initiatives of the central government on

fight against HIV/AIDS.

" Goa is a very favourite tourist destination as well as provider of

jobs to countless labourers who, while arriving in the state, may

bring in many diseases along with their tools, " Mr Jamir observed,

adding " Therefore, with due respect to Goan community, Goa has

become vulnerable to HIV/AIDS due to the prevailing lifestyle of its

people. " In such a lifestyle, the very purpose of life is lost, he

observed.

The Governor suggested that Goans should find out what type of

lifestyle can help them encounter the onslaught of HIV/AIDS.

Making some suggestions on combating the disease, Mr Jamir

recommended adoption of the Chinese programme of `Four Frees and One

Care' namely, offering free anti-retroviral drugs, free voluntary

counselling and testing, free drugs to prevent mother-to-child

transmission and free schooling for orphaned children, and finally

care and economic assistance to affected households.

In India, 90 per cent of the infected persons are in the productive

age group of 15-49 years out of which 32 per cent are young men and

women in the age group of 15-29 years, and hence we have to

emphasise on younger generation of the society, he informed.

Presently, India stands only second to South Africa in terms of AIDS

infection to its population.

" The formation of Red Ribbon Clubs would be a positive beginning in

the fight against AIDS, " he said.

The Red Ribbon Clubs, whose modalities are yet to be worked out, are

aimed at spreading awareness on HIV/AIDS in 46 higher educational

institutions in the state, covering around 20,000 students, this

year. The RRCs programme is a comprehensive promotional and

preventive intervention to mainstream HIV/AIDS prevention,

mitigation, stigma reduction, care and treatment among the youth in

colleges and other higher educational institutes. It also envisages

to prepare and promote peer group educators within and outside the

campuses.

A presentation by the deputy director (blood safety) of the Goa

State AIDS Control Society, Dr S P Prabhudesai on latest HIV/AIDS

scenario in the state informed that the estimated number of people

living with HIV/AIDS in Goa is around 12,000; the reported number of

the cases being 772 and the deaths by way of the disease mounting to

217.

The disease is now prevalent in all parts of Goa, majority of the

cases being reported in the four coastal talukas, that is Salcete,

Mormugao, Bardez and Tiswadi, it informed.

The presentation also stated that 86 per cent of the total 149 cases

detected in the year 2005 belonged to the age group 15-49 years and

about 38 per cent of these cases were females. " Furthermore, about

25 per cent of the new infections were in the age group 15-29

years, " it informed, pointing out that " among the females infected,

almost one-third belonged to the age group 15-49. "

The sexual route is the predominant mode of transmission (92.5 per

cent), followed by mother-to-child infection (6.3 per cent),

infection through infected syringes/needles (0.7 per cent) and by

way of blood and blood products (0.5 per cent), the presentation

mentioned.

The health secretary, Mr U K Vhora in his speech said that most of

the youngsters are vulnerable to HIV/AIDS and that's the basic

philosophy behind forming the RRCs. " The clubs will convert the

potential AIDS victims into effective soldiers, " he said, adding

that the peer group interactions will form an important weapon

against the disease.

Speaking on the occasion, the Goa University Vice-Chancellor, Prof P

S Zacharias said the university is using its long-distance education

methodology as well as the recently established FM radio station in

collaboration with the Indira Gandhi National Open University for

broadcasting AIDS-related programmes.

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