- GUNTUR -- The Minister for
Medical and Health, Kodela Sivaprasada Rao, has said that the State Government
is seriously considering bringing in a piece of legislation making it mandatory
on the part of brides and grooms to undergo AIDS test before marriage.
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- Talking to reporters here on Sunday, Dr. Rao said that
the law would minimise the accidental spread of AIDS. Recently a marriage
was stopped at the last minute in Narasaraopet when the bride was detected
to be HIV positive, he pointed out. Once the law came into force, it would
become mandatory for the people to get the blood samples of the bride and
groom tested before the marriage. "Raksha'', a non-governmental organisation,
was taking initiative in this direction.
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- Control of AIDS was a top priority item for the Government,
the Minister said, adding that Guntur district was topping the list of
affected areas in the State. He sought the cooperation of the media in
effectively educating the people about the ill-effects of AIDS. "Let
us hate the disease, not the patients. Break the silence and discuss at
length the causes of the disease. It will naturally come down,'' he said.
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- Dr. Rao said that educating the people about the disease
was the only way through which the gravest threat could be countered. While
80 per cent of AIDS cases were due to extra-marital and illicit relations,
blood transfusion and repeated use of needles, syringes and blades were
also proving to be hazardous causes.
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