AIDS ( Another Indian Died on Sunday)

India is the second populous country in the world with more than one billion people and it is going to overtake China in a few years. Not only in population it has the second largest number of people living with HIV/AIDS. There are 5.1 million people who are affected with this deadly disease. The UN Population Division projects that India's adult HIV prevalence will peak at 1.9% in 2019. During 2000-15, it has projected 12.3 million AIDS deaths and there will be a day when AIDS will be known as Another Indian Died on this sunday.

Though the infection is concentrated among poor and marginalized groups it is spreading quickly into the general population. States which have the largest number of HIV cases are Andhra Pradesh because of long coastline, sex workers and truck drivers ; Goa ( for tourists); Karnataka for devadasi women, Maharashtra & Mumbai ( for migrant population ) and the northeastern states for using intravenous drugs.

What is needed at this hour is checks, controls and education. Educating people is the most important thing. Like the Rastra Sikhya Abhiyan which was started in a full swing with each one teach one to each one teach ten. In the same way door to door campaigining is required to counsel people about this disease. Mostly in the rural areas people are shy and do not come out in open to discuss such issues but this should be made compulsory at every level. From districts, mandals to tahsils. There should be a country wide awareness.

I think the DOs and Don'ts about this disease should be written on every product you purchase till the situation comes under control. It should be included in the syllabus of the children. Every person who joins Govt. service should take an oath while joining the service that he has to teach, preach and practice the DOs and Don'ts. And he will not be confirmed into service till he proves it during the probabtionery period.

Not one or two the country needs thousands of programs and policies with a equal number of volunteers to come forward and save this nation from the disease Another Indian Died on Sunday.