HIV/AIDS Testing Mandatory Before Marriage in Meghalaya

• Meghalaya Health and Family Welfare Minister Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh announced the possibility of making HIV/AIDS testing mandatory before marriage.

• The issue involves considerations of human rights, stigma, and free will.

• N. Kumarasamy and Jahnabi Goswami discuss the possibility of mandatory testing for HIV before marriage.

• Kumarasamy argues that making anything mandatory is not acceptable due to the HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017, which mandates counseling before testing.

• Goswami suggests that HIV testing should be mandatory before marriage to ensure compatibility and prevent the spread of infections.

• He also points out that in the north-east, cases of concealed HIV status have been reported, with men injecting drug use responsible for nearly 64% of HIV infections.

• Goswami believes that mandatory testing, with counseling, is essential to safeguard women and girls.

HIV Testing and Confidentiality in India

• Doctors are often forced to test for HIV, even during minor procedures.

• The quality of counselling provided during HIV testing can vary.

• Negative HIV test results can provide a false sense of security, leading to potential transmission of infection.

• The implementation of mandatory testing before weddings is not common in Goa, but is being considered due to potential human rights violations.

• Meghalaya, a state with high rates of HIV infections, could benefit from learning from southern India, particularly Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra.

• The ideal solution is to conduct appropriate HIV testing in various settings with proper consent and link tested individuals to treatment.

• The stigma associated with HIV in Meghalaya is attributed to the fact that it is an incurable disease.

• Addressing stigma involves educating the public about the available treatment options and the message “U=U” (undetectable is untransmittable).

• The stigma associated with HIV is not with the disease itself but with the source of infection.

• The stigma is associated with the perception that people in sex work or drug use will get HIV.

• The stigma should be eroded by the government, infected individuals, and those working in the field.

• The stigma should be made comfortable for HIV-positive people to talk about their status.

• Involving counsellors and more people with HIV as role models can help reduce stigma and discrimination.

Meghalaya Mandatory HIV Testing is important topic for Civil service exam (WBCS).

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