Maharashtra wants compulsory pre-marital HIV testing

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Maharashtra wants compulsory pre-marital HIV testing

Prachi Jatania / CNN-IBN

Published on Fri, Feb 01, 2008 at 02:03, Updated at Fri, Feb 01, 2008

in Nation section

Mumbai: Maharashtra may just become the first state to make pre-

marital HIV testing compulsory.

A high-level State government committee has recommended that pre-

marital HIV test should be made mandatory. The committee headed by

State Health Minister Vimal Mundada, was formed late last year after

a PIL was filed in the Bombay High Court asking for such a test.

The proposal could be a first if it becomes a legislation, but it is

expected to face stiff opposition.

The National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) guidelines states that

mandatory HIV test should not be a precondition for employment or

providing healthcare, and in the case of marriage, a test can be

carried out only if a partner insists on it.

" It's not a rational measure, " NACO Director S Sureshkumar condemned

it, and called it a " futile exercise " .

With the HIV-positive status also comes a tag of social stigma.

However, Maharashtra is home to over 50 lakh HIV-infected people,

making it the second state in the country.

The State health ministry is not willing to take any chances, and so

before tabling the proposal in the State Cabinet, the government

wants to garner a larger public mandate to back it.

" We will involve NGOs, get views from people between 15-25 years and

see what they say, " explained state Health Minister, Vimal Mundada.

Maharashtra's bold initiative could prove to be a shot in the arm for

other States such as Andhra Pradesh and Goa who also mooted similar

legislations earlier. But in the face of stringent opposition from

different sections of society, the road to implementation may not be

easy.

With additional inputs from Parikshit Luthra

http://www.ibnlive.com/news/maharashtra-wants-compulsory-premarital-

hiv-testing/57858-3.html