New plan for HIV marriage tests

I have been writing about some kind of an initiative for testing couples prior to marriage. Better to be safe than sorry. Years ago when i broached this subject at a social gathering almost everyone present opposed the idea for their children. The reasons given ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous - my children do not have aids - what would the other family say - what would people say - it is not done, t!

Well, here is an initiative from Indian state of Maharashtra. click on the heading.

New plan for HIV marriage tests

By Prachi Pinglay BBC News, Mumbai

Experts say more needs to be done to promote Aids awareness

A committee set up by the Indian state of Maharashtra has provisionally approved the mandatory HIV testing of couples before marriage.

If the decision is made into law, Maharashtra would be the first state in the country to have such a scheme.

Officials attending the meeting said that compulsory testing was necessary in a state where HIV awareness is low.

But they say that the proposal will not be enforced until extensive public consultations have taken place.

The state of Andhra Pradesh announced similar plans in 2006 but they were abandoned.

India has one of the highest numbers of people with HIV in the world.