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Fighting AIDS: Bihar barbers to double up as condom sellers
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NewsByte on 04 June, 2008 03:51:20
 
Barbers in Bihar will henceforth not only trim hair, but also educate people on
AIDS and double up as condom sellers.
At least 15,000 barbers would be recruited across the state by the Bihar Aids
Society to educate people on the dangers posed by the disease and safe sex.
The joint director of the AIDS Society, Vishal Singh, said that barbers'
services would be useful as they have access to all strata of society. "They can
teach people that AIDS is not a communicable
disease and that patients should not be treated as untouchables."
They can tell people of the benifits of practising safe sex by using condoms
which are being provided free of cost by the Centre and state government
agencies.
Their shops will also sell the contraceptives.
Besides the salons, condoms will also be available in beauty parlours, massage
parlours and other outlets which have mushroomed.
He said the Society through its 19,835 distribution centres distributed about
1.5 crore condoms provided by the Centre and the state government.
Singh said that anti-AIDS programme would be launched in 13 distrcits of the
state - Banka, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Begusraai, Araria, East Champaran,
Katihar, Purnea, Lakhisarai, Munger, Rohtas, Madhubani and Patna. For the
implementation of thed scheme the state government has appointed a select
committee.
The Society has also planned to launch a programme soon to educate people on
the use of condoms and safe sex, he said.
Accodring to it, the number of AIDS patients in Bihar is 2,500 at present and
the number of people afflicted by HIV is 17,133.
Singh said Patna district accounted for the largest number of HIV
afflicted-patients at 4,551 followed by Muzzafarpur and Madhubani at 1,558 and
644 respectively.
Spelling out the reason for the spread of the disease, the director of Bihar
AIDS Control Society, H N Jha, said, "Illiteracy and unemployment were mainly
responsible."
The spread of the disease is also attributed to migrant labourers who get
stricken after indulging in unsafe sex during their stay away from homes for a
long period of time and afflict spouses on their return.