& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Bhutan Steps up War Against AIDS

by Jagan Nath
***Health experts point out'that there Is a so-called window period' when a person Infected with HIV has not produced the anti-bodies. During this period, which lasts about three months after a person Is infected, he or she can infect others but will test negative***
THE Buddhist kingdom ol Bhutan has stepperl up surveillance to contain the spread of the dreaded AIDS In the country
It has launched a programme of random testing of Bhutanese nationals, who have travelled or received treatment outside the country tn the past three years.
People for testing are chosen from a list of passport holders. They are approached Individually and asked to participate In the survey by giving blood samples for the HIV test.
A spokesman of the Bhutanese Directorate of Health Services says there is no specific criteria for the selection. He said names are picked at random.
The HfV test detects the presence of anti bodies In the blood to counter the virus. It is being carried out at the Thimphu General Hospital.
HIV positive patients will be Informed immediately, but the results will be kept confidential.
Health experts point out that there is a so-called window period when a person infected with HIV has not produced the anti-bodies. During this period, which lasts about three months after a person Is Infected, he or she can infect others but will test negative.
The tests are voluntary Thus, people could choose l heir own time for testing.
According to Dr Sangya Thinley. national programme manager for AIDS and STD
(sexually-transmitted diseases). the surveillance is be Ing carried out to deterniine the HIV prevalence In different sections of the Bhutanese society
In the past, the tests had been carried out only in particular groups like blood donors, tuberculosis and STD patients around the country.
A World Health Organization (WHO) consultant for STD and
AIDS Else Meigaard. adds that the survey will help the country predict the costs of managing AIDS and prepare for future cases.
She points out the formidable costs management of' the disease entails. Countries like India, Indonesia and Thailand are already spending between US $1 1.000 and US# 13.000 on each AIDS patient.
With medical services becoming overstretched, a large number of AIDS cases also af feet the country's economy, he said.
The Directorate of Health has stressed the need to educate the people on AIDS. While many people believe that tests are unnecessary because there is no cure for AIDS. Ms
Melgaard points out the need of Informing the people about AIDS
For example. HIV positive patients can avoid spreading the virus to thetr family mem liers and others tn the com mt inity
Knowing about the virus can also help them face reality and prepare their own families for the future.
Without adequate knowl-
edge of AIDS patients could be ostracised and the gravity of the disease may not be known. This way. the spread of AIDS could be faster and much wider.
Health officials are also touring schools and other educational institutions to educate the younger generation.
So far. the Health Directorate has screened 21.863 blood samples. Two have tested positive.
Women, says a senior medical expert.here, .ire especially vulnerable! to HIV infection be cause of their generally subor dinate role In the family and society
The expert notes And • often they are unable to protect- themselves from sexual transmission of HIV liecause
they have little autonomy or say in sexual decision-making. It is therefore essential that women have more control over their health and fertility
Only a determined global effort to increase financial, human and technical resources is needed to fight the disease
Surprisingly, there is a new way to study the sexual be haviour of young people — that Is. by listening to them. So says a spokesman of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
Although ft may sound simple enough, there's more to fills The narrative research approach provides ways for adolescents to recount one of their so called defining experiences in coming of age — the initial sexual relationship and its aftermath The point Is to let them explain their own behaviour. not to silence them with moral judgement
Starting In 1988. teenagers In 1 1 sub-Saharan African countries talked about their sexual encounters Youth leaders in each country drew from these accounts io create a typical story about the adolescent sexual experience.
Next, ihe stories were converted Into questionnaires lor teenagers to fill out Having been tested by some 13.000 teenagers the method is now ready for wider use In Africa and other parts of the world
The WHO and UNFPA are now working on action programmes in a number of countries — Depthnews Asia.