Fighting HIV indigenously

By Seema Khanna
Editorial
The Pioneer
Monday, April 11, 2005

US President George W Bush believes that abstinence from
sexual activities before marriage is a sure way to avoid
pre-marital pregnancy, sexually-transmitted diseases and
other health problems. No wonder in the 2006 US Budget he
proposed the increase of $39 million for abstinence-
related programmes. The Government's endowment, which is
$206 million in 2005, is expected to rise to $270 million
by 2008. Although critics believe that the US President
is paying more attention to an ideology and that
abstinence-related programmes have no measurable impact,
figures show that teenage pregnancy rate has declined in
the US.

This strengthens the age-old Indian notion that opposes
any attempt to give sex education to the younger
generation in the name of HIV awareness: Such awareness
will only increase their curiosity and may tempt them to
indulge in early sexual activities. It is strikingly
similar to the popular belief among school principals,
teachers and parents, whom I have met as a resource
person on HIV. They believe that schoolchildren should
not be told about condoms and contraceptive measures or
given detailed sex-related information. Instead, they
should be counselled about the Indian philosophy and
ideology that glorifies abstinence.

The relevance of propagating an ideology over awareness
can also be judged from the fact that the School AIDS
Control Programme, initiated by the National AIDS Control
Organisation, still faces resistance from school
authorities and parents. Crores of rupees spent on such
programmes seem to have been wasted because of the lack
of their support. A majority of them are unable to accept
the promotion and prescription of condoms as a strategy
for preventing AIDS. Deep inside, they do not agree with
NACO's presumption that their children cannot be
convinced about abstaining from pre-marital sex.

HIV figures reveal how education about sex-related
problems, without the backing of an ideology, can fail.
As per available data on HIV/AIDS, the disease is on the
rise among general population and children are the worst
affected. The UNAIDS figure says that in India,
approximately 50 per cent new HIV victims belong to the
age group of 10 to 24, and the general mode of
transmission is their heterosexual behaviour. Although
NACO has been spreading awareness about safer sex, the
younger generation is not interested in following it. No
wonder teenage pregnancies are on the increase among
them.

As per the findings of a baseline behaviour survey, 2001-
2002, conducted by NACO on 84,478 people, while 75 per
cent of them were aware of condom usage, only 51.2 per
cent male and 39.8 per cent female, who admitted to
having more than one partner, used it. "Staying Alive
2003 Global Sexual Behaviour" survey released by MTV
Networks, in conjunction with the AIDS Epidemic Update
report issued by the UNAIDS and WHO, also confirm that 90
per cent of 9000 young respondents (between 14-34 years)
covering 29 countries, do not use condoms despite knowing
their relevance.

Reports vindicate the US President's support to an
ideology favouring abstinence from pre-marital sex. Such
data must act as an eye-opener for all Indian
institutions - Government, NGOs, social welfare
departments, etc. - who ignore their traditional ideology
and philosophy for some abstract Westernised concept
which is rejected even in the West. It is time we
believed that HIV can be fought indigenously.

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    "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not so send
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    "For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the
daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in
law.
    "And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
- Matthew 10:34-36.

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