Test foreigners for AIDS at entry points — report

“From the records, it appears that the disease has spread in the country owing to foreigners. Under such circumstances, it will be wise if we ban the entry of persons suffering from AIDS or have HIV-infected blood. Either the foreigners should submit a certificate issued by the competent authority or the central government should test them for HIV on their arrival in the country,” Tanpure said in his report.

In view of the inadequate information with the state Health Department on the status of persons suffering from AIDS, the committee felt that it should be made binding on medical practitioners to inform the director of Health Services on such patients.

Applauding the role of voluntary organisations in the field of AIDS control, the committee also felt that some agencies left a lot to be desired. “We feel that though government extends financial assistance to voluntary organisations, it has absolutely no control over them. Second, a section of organisations has been set up merely to secure grants from the government. Under such circumstances, it is necessary to review all aided organisations and also to evalute their performance so that government can draft revised guidelines for them,” Tanpure added.

Against a provision of Rs 26.08 crore for 1992-93 to 1997-98, Rs 24.47 crore was utilised by a record number of 157 voluntary organisations. As per official records, of the approximately 5 million afflicted by AIDS, at least 40 per cent of them are in Maharashtra. The largest number of patients were found in Mumbai, followed by Sangli, Kolhapur, Thane and Aurangabad.

The committee felt that the state Health Department should make every possible effort to introduce sex education as a subject at the middle-school level so that students can be educated on the ill-effects of AIDS. “The department should take a lead so that the subject can be introduced from the ensuing academic session,” Tanpure has stated in his report.