AIDS in India has been a taboo topic for years

AIDS in India has been a taboo topic for years, and to a large extent it remains so today.

While in recent years the central government has become more involved in raising awareness of AIDS and taking steps to prevent and contain it, the local and provincial governments have been slow to follow suit. Often they make the situation more difficult by refusing to acknowledge the AIDS crisis as it might reflect poorly on them.

A study conducted by Save the Children Fund (UK) in Tamil Nadu reports growing impoverishment of AIDS affected families.

Very few rehabilitation homes are run for the children. In Maharshtra number of Govt child care homes does not take in infected children, a lacuna that needs to be urgently addressed.

“Many teachers, doctors, government officials and ordinary people in India still don’t know the basic facts about HIV transmission and AIDS care,” Rev. Fr. Alex of Catholic Bishops Conference (CBCI) said.