JOIN USDistrict and Sessions Judge Venkatesh Naik has said that maintaining secrecy is essential for those affected by HIV.
Speaking after inaugurating an awareness workshop on AIDS and voluntary blood donation camp organised by the District Bar Association and District Legal Service Authority, the judge said that all the departments should join hands along with the health department to create awareness against AIDS. He added that patients should be treated one among all in the society without any sort of taboo being attached. Section 34 upholds the all-round welfare of the infected involving the legal constraints. The infected should be taken care of so as to maintain confidentiality, he opined.
District Legal Service Authority member secretary Latha said that voluntary blood donation is sacred from all other services in the society. Blood is the lifeline and saving a human being's life by donating blood is, in fact, a yeomen service, she noted.
District AIDS Control officer Dr Sanju S V said that as many as 21 lakh infected people in the world are suffering due to social and economic sustenance. Sadly, a majority of those infected are in the age group of 15-49 years. In Karnataka, as per the report of 2015-16, the infection is reduced to 66 %. The infected, especially females, are offered economic assistance from the administration to run their livelihood. Facilities of housing, reservation is offered and 50% of the infected in Udupi district are offered bus passes. He said that treatment at the appropriate time would help the infected to increase their lifespan. He added that a six-week treatment for children who contract the disease from their infected pregnant mothers would save the child from infection. In Udupi district, as many as 247 children are undergoing the treatment, he said.