The Indian state Maharashtra government has proposed the testing for the
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) be made compulsory before marriage in the
state. If the decision is made into law, Maharashtra would be the first
state in the India to have such a scheme.
This was decided at a high-level meeting this week, presided over by Public
Health Minister Vimal Mundada. She said such a move would create awareness
and also control the spread of HIV. Officials said that compulsory testing
was necessary in a state where HIV awareness is low.
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. The state of Goa and Andhra Pradesh announced similar
plans in 2006 but they were abandoned.
The controversial decision sparked off a debate in the country once again,
with women's groups criticizing the move, calling it loaded against women.
India has one of the highest numbers of people with HIV in the world,
reported by BBC.
Source: Health Newstrack
