AIDS workshop for legislators

MUMBAI, April 19: Can the health minister be kind enough to tell us whether AIDS can spread through mosquitoes,8221; asked a bewildered member of the Legislative Council during the ongoing Budget session.

Another member wanted the government to empower the police and Panchayats to arrest all AIDS patients in the state and keep them in safe custody!The question did prompt the government to act with amazing alacrity 8211; it promptly announced a special two-hour session on AIDS for legislators on Monday, probably the first of its kind in the country.

While replying, Health Minister Dr Daulatrao Aher told legislators that non-governmental organisations have been disseminating information on the killer disease, but promised to arrange for a workshop to be conducted in the Vidhan Bhavan premises.