NOW, HIV tests will be compulsory during pre- recruitment screening of jawans in all the three wings of the armed forces.
Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) Surgeon Vice-Admiral VK Singh said the proposal was under consideration of the Defence Ministry.
Vice-Admiral VK Singh, who is the President’s honorary surgeon and a Param Vishisht Seva Medal awardee, hoped HIV tests would start shortly after the ministry’s approval.
“HIV is enemy number one for us and we are ready to combat it,” he said.There are 0.028 percent HIV positive cases in the Indian forces. In contrast, he said, the percentage of HIV positive personnel was 0.026 percent in the US armed forces, where a pre-recruitment screening test was compulsory.
Efforts were made to educate jawans about the HIV threat, he added. They were shown a film ‘Akhiri Dustak’ in this connection. “Watching the movie was compulsory for jawans.This helped checked the spread of this dreaded infection.”
He said Anti-Retro Viral Therapy was being administered to HIV positive jawans.“This is a continuous therapy like in cases of diabetes. It stops conversion of the virus into full blown AIDS,” he added
“The number of AIDS deaths has been reduced. In fact, no such death was reported in 2005,” he said. Forty jawans died of AIDS in 2002, 36 in 2003 and one in 2004, he added.
{{/usCountry}}“The number of AIDS deaths has been reduced. In fact, no such death was reported in 2005,” he said. Forty jawans died of AIDS in 2002, 36 in 2003 and one in 2004, he added.
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