Speaker favours HIV test before marriage
herald REPORTER
PANJIM, JULY 22
Introduce a law to make it mandatory for a couple to take HIV test before entering into matrimony, suggested Speaker Pratapsing Rane during Question Hour on Thursday as House hotly debated about spread of HIV-AIDS in the State.
The Chief Minister Digambar Kamat told the House that it’s not possible because sections of the society resisted the move to have such legislation.
They objected on ground that it encroaches on the privacy of the individual. A few year ago former law minister Dayanand Narvekar had attempted to bring in such law.
The issue under was discussion was spread of HIV/AIDS while Health Minister Vishwajit Rane told the House that Goa State AIDS Control Society (GSACS) is seriously conducting awareness programme in the target group — youth. The aware ness programmes are being conducted in the colleges.
Awareness programme has to begin at school level but it is not possible because schools are not very forthcoming, said Rane. The core committee meets every month and programmes are executed as per guidelines fixed by NACO, he adds.
Canacona MLA, Vijay Pai Khot suggested that the department should concentrate on beach areas having influx of tourists if it wants to control spread of HIV-AIDS.
