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Jehad against AIDS succeeds in Kashmir
As the World AIDS Day was observed across the globe with grave concerns being expressed by experts over phenomenal increase in AIDS patients, Kashmir valley has reason to smile.
As the World AIDS Day was observed across the globe with grave concerns being expressed by experts over phenomenal increase in AIDS patients, Kashmir valley has reason to smile. There are only 271 cases in the Valley, though there are around 2,000 cases from Jammu.
Experts credit religion and religious figures for keeping a check on the disease. "We are a strong religion-based society. Our socio- religious bindings prevent a person to go for promiscuous relationship. It has kept the cases on lower side here," said Dr Saleem Khan, consultant with the Community Medicine Department. "It seems jehad against AIDS has worked in Kashmir."
Ever since AIDS patients started surfacing in the state, the authorities roped in clerics and used mosques to educate people about the science of the disease to prevent people from falling prey to the disease.
"We urged Imams (clerics) to spread the awareness about the disease. They were being impressed upon to use pulpits of mosques to convey ill effects of promiscuity and drug abuse, both prohibited in Islam," said Khan.
If there are signs of improvement in the Valley, Jammu is showing an upward trend. There are 2000 cases there. "It is fact that in contrast to Jammu number of deaths due to AIDS was less in the Valley," said Dr Shahida Mir, principal Government Medical College Srinagar. Mir, however, cautioned, "We shouldn't lower our guard."
Eighty-five people have died in Jammu and Kashmir due to the AIDS since 1999.
The disease is also prevalent among security personnel in the valley. "The number of security forces personnel tested HIV positive is 100," said Dr Mushtaq Sidque, head of department Immunology Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Science Srinagar.
