World Aids Day
I was shocked to find out that India after South Africa has the highest number of HIV/AIDS affected people. Currently Africa is hitting the crest of the wave. India is predicted to hit that in around 2019. It is mind boggling to think the economic consequences of this. The strain on the health system, loss of productive labour, effects on AIDS orphans and families.
Its not easy to get people who need this info the most to realise the gravity of the situation. A worker once pointed out that ".. how can you talk to these people about AIDS/HIV when they don't have basic ideas about health and hygiene?" So again the solution boils down to education. Another problem is the bad attitude of people in India about AIDS victims. Quite a percentage felt that, AIDS victims should kill themselves or they deserved it and it was punishment from God. So AIDS patients in India are double dammed.
Anecdote
I was walking across the DIAG when I see these bunch of girls on a table giving out the red AIDS ribbon. I walk across there to get it and the girl says offers a brochure and asks if I would like condoms. They are lying in a basket on the table.
It was an offer that one should not refuse especially if you want to mantain the image of the exotic Indian mystique. So I smiled and said "Sure". Now picking one would be to looking like a newbie and grabbing a handful would be bragging a bit. I took what appears to be sensible. Three. I was also choosy in picking the colours. That was a neat stroke I felt in this whole scam. What was more surprising was to learn that NOT many people stopped by to pick them. The girl said that, people felt shy about getting condoms. It was somewhat strange considering that was America. The land of the free, the land of the brave. Apparently not. Its quite prudish, homophobic, conservative. Much more than conceived.
PS: Always take 3!