Defeating AIDS

[blahblah]

India, according to some estimates based on GDP is the fourth largest economy in the world.Today it has a booming economy,companies competing globally,converting prospects into profits.

Yet there is one factor which may one day cause great concern for the future governments and seriously burden its economy.It is AIDS.India is also the country wth the second largest number of HIV infected people after South Africa.

TODAY IS WORLD AIDS DAY.

Today is a day when we can together declare our willingness and determination to protect our younger generation-through awareness,support and acceptance.Since the first case was reported among sex workers in Chennai in 1984,the epidemic has spread to more than 5 million people in India.Many cases go unreported.

Recently there was a number of suicides in a Mumbai hospital when three men threw themselves down from the fourth floor with in three weeks.They were all infected with the virus.The HIV/AIDS orphans are often denied normal edcation as the parents of other students object to their interaction with their wards.

And there are people who take advantage of their helplessness and desperation too-Like Mr.Majeed of [un]FairPharma,Cochin who 'invented' immunocure.

We are all sinners.If these people have been infected from unsafe sex,so be it.Premarital sex,extra marital sex and lust have all been part of human culture.So next time when someone speaks about protected sex[be it Sania or someone else],resist the temptation to portray them as immoral-they are not advocating extra marital sex.

[pavalamani pragasam]

Why not impart the value of morality, self-discipline, human integrity as better than beasts' indiscrimination? Why not censure all factors conducive to immorality?

"thappai thappaa seythaalum sariyaa seythaalum thappu thapputhaan"=wrong when done wrongly or rightly is still a wrong.

I am tired of hearing people harping on how it has been known down the ages. Yes, the flesh trade is the oldest trade yet. But it is a matter for shame & disgrace for man who has made such advances in science & technology, who has climbed so high in civilisation.

Along with appreciation of physical comforts our acceptance of the right sense of moral well being, a feeling we are far above beasts in our management of sensual urges must be encouraged right from childhood in homes & schools.

The tendency towards demolishing the edifice of marriage, the popularity towards "living together" is a sure sign of backward journey to the jungles of lawlessness & levity. Only a saddled horse is fit for riding, not a wild, untamed, unreined horse. We can be proud to achieve with our intellect not with dissipation of our senses.

Propaganda for "safe sex" is a brake only not the whole vehicle! At present it might be emphasised by wise people & unworthy people alike as a measure taken on a war footing. The main stress must be on morality.

Prevention is better than cure. Prevention does not mean safety measures, but discretion & human dignity.

[Sandeep]

The latest UN report says that in India Aids has already crossed the tipping point. The virus has entered into the general population.

No more is AIDS about sex workers, truck drivers, drug adicts and migrant workers though these groups still remain the main focus. But cases have been reported from all classes and categories of the society.

Today we have 51 lakh reported aids victims in India who are seen with hate and disgust (in one study 36% felt infected people should kill themselves and that they deserved their fate. Also, 34% said they would not associate with people with AIDS, and 20% believed it was a punishment from God.)

According to Peter Piot of UNAIDS "In order to prevent the spread of HIV, a combination approach is required. We need to promote abstinence, delay of sex, faithfulness and the use of condoms. No single approach will work."

[pavalamani pragasam]

Very recently I read a pathetic story in the newspapers: A young child whose parents were both not HIV positive was found to be infected with AIDS. During some illness while she was admitted in a hospital she had been given blood transfusion.

This was a shocking news which made me helplessly angry at the state of affairs. The blood donors do not undergo HIV positive test; we are a poor country & so we cant afford the cost; also the volume of blood donation involving such a multitude of donors prohibits screening the donors for the deadly infection.

Then is it not the duty of the individual who comes to donate blood to be sure whether he is of CLEAN habits? Or is it true the blood banks pay for the blood donated( heard so in some sob stories!)? And it is for that money the donor desperately offers his blood, a source of easy income?

We cant for sure pinpoint where the fault lies in this particular case, cant identify the culprit. But can only guess, assume that some unsuspecting HIV positive donor's blood has been given to that child. And what a tragedy & trauma to the child & her parents!

Propaganda for a clean, healthy, moral life is the best thing to do.

[Lambretta]

The blood donors do not undergo HIV positive test; we are a poor country & so we cant afford the cost; also the volume of blood donation involving such a multitude of donors prohibits screening the donors for the deadly infection.
Then is it not the duty of the individual who comes to donate blood to be sure whether he is of CLEAN habits? Or is it true the blood banks pay for the blood donated( heard so in some sob stories!)? And it is for that money the donor desperately offers his blood, a source of easy income?

Very true PP ma'm.......blood banks shud hav facilities to test the donors b4 blood donation.......here in AP blood donation is- I daresay- a popular TREND among most of the present-day youth (ever since Telugu star Chiranjeevi started donating blood! apart from the money factor).......however, most of the local blood banks don't follow ne basic hygiene standards in this regard.....AP being one of the states w/ highest AIDS occurence, shud hav its blood banks follow these procedures more stringently!

Propaganda for a clean, healthy, moral life is the best thing to do.

Sadly the moral part is wat is lacking in a big way here......!

PS: 'can't help the indignation tat my Birthday turns out to be AIDS day every year!

[pavalamani pragasam]

Many happy returns of the Day, Lambretta! Never mind the coincidence. Mine preceded only three days!

[Lambretta]

Many happy returns of the Day, Lambretta! Never mind the coincidence. Mine preceded only three days!

Tks PP ma'm! And um.......belated wishes for the same!
Only 3 days ago? So tat makes u a sagittarian as well! Tat explains the thinking along similar wavelengths in our cases!

[ssanjinika]

Many Happy Returns of the day Lamby!
But the fact that your b'day falls on the same date as the world Aids day isnt anything to feel sorry for.In fact its a day when the world acknowledged a deadly disease which has the potential to wipe out the human race and promised to fight against that happening.You could put it as a day of enlightment :P.

[Lambretta]

Many Happy Returns of the day Lamby!

Many Tks! Altho of course no celebration this yr as my father'd passed away this April......neways I'm not tat active at celebrating it in a big way even otherwise!

You could put it as a day of enlightment :P.

Hmm.....well, fortunately I daresay I hav nothin much to be enlightened abt in this regard as I've thankfully been steering clear of ne dangerous transgession tat wud've otherwise made me another victim to pity on this day!
But yea, I guess I feel uneasy abt it remembering how many of my classmates at school once teased me abt this coincidence! Esp. considering tat one of their fav. dirty jokes was abt how AIDS is transmitted between ppl. of opposite sex!

[pavalamani pragasam]

Thanx, Lambretta for the wishes I dont believe in grouping people into 12 variety