The Hindu : National : Army to implement U.N. plan on HIV prevention

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 02, 2005

National

National

Army to implement U.N. plan on HIV prevention

Sandeep Dikshit

AIDS is fifth highest cause of deaths in armed forces; "steady rise since 1991"

NEW DELHI: The Army has entered into an agreement with the United Nations to implement a comprehensive programme for preventing HIV among its ranks. AIDS has emerged as the fifth highest cause of deaths in the armed forces.

The pact was signed between Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and UNAIDS director Ulf Kristoffersson on Sunday.

Rise in HIV cases

For the record, the percentage of HIV/AIDS-affected soldiers is 0.08 per cent. But official documents acknowledge "there has been a steady rise in the annual incidence of HIV in the armed forces since 1991. However, it appears to have stabilised at about 500 new cases annually in the last couple of years. This increase is because the armed forces personnel are an integral part of the same Indian society which is reeling under the effects of this epidemic. Personnel fall prey to HIV infection more so due to long periods of separation from their families and to increased mobility,"

While the Army can do little about long postings on the country's borders, it is looking for assistance to increase prevention efforts among the personnel, particularly the young men and women in its ranks.

Mr. Mukherjee promised to incorporate a U.N. booklet on the issue in the curriculum in military educational institutions. The booklet will be initially translated in three to four languages to ensure that its message percolates down the ranks.

Support system

Apart from an AIDS awareness programme, the U.N. will also help increase the capacity of military doctors to deliver high quality care and support efforts to reduce the stigma and discrimination surrounding military personnel living with AIDS. Mr. Ulf said the Indian Army was in much better shape than some of its counterparts in Africa, Asia and Europe.

Describing the HIV infection to armed personnel as a "threat to any country's security," he said some countries were keeping the information classified because the high rates, as high as 50 per cent in one African army, had diminished their ability to fight. "Though the Indian Army is one of the largest contributors of troops for international peacekeeping duties, it is very disciplined."

The military is also taking the assistance of the U.S. armed forces to increase the knowledge and awareness of its officers on HIV/AIDS. Despite being the most travelled military force in the world, the U.S. armed forces has had a prevention programme in place for some years and conducts compulsory testing of its men and officers.

Post Script: Soon after hearing the Indian efforts in this direction, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has asked the U.N. to help the Pakistani Army in this regard.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National