PANAJI:  The government will target younger generation, especially students from class 10 to 12, for controlling the fast spreading HIV/AIDS menace in the state, said the Health Minister, Mr Vishwajeet Rane on Thursday.

Mr Rane also said the Goa State AIDS Control Society is continuously interacting with the college students by organising various HIV/AIDS related orientation programmes, however he lamented, “ the schools are not coming forward to support this endeavour”.
He said with extensive television coverage and explicit material available on the Internet, the government needs to be more cautious, as more and more students are experiencing freedom once they move from schools to colleges.
Earlier, the Fatorda MLA, Mr Damodar Naik, speaking during the Question Hour pointed out that a number of deaths were occurring in Goa due to various diseases. “The government has pointed out that 173 deaths were registered in the state due to malaria since 2007, while the number of persons dying due to tuberculosis was 471, hepatitis was 533 and HIV/AIDS was 411,” he stated, stressing that the actual number of people dying due to these illnesses was much larger.
Mr Naik also pointed out that i-pill contraceptive was being freely used by the young unmarried girls after having sex. “In fact, the related advertisement of the contraceptive pill is being telecast on the national channel of Doordarshan and should be banned, to prevent its misuse,” he demanded, maintaining that in Goa itself young boys and girls were forming groups and meeting at a particular destination, by misleading their parents, to experience sex.
The leader of the opposition, Mr Manohar Parrikar, speaking on the occasion said that i-pill is used in Goa as a remedy for risky sex. He also stated that the first and second year students of medicine should be asked to discuss such sensitive issues with the class 10 to 12 students, as these students would be comfortable to discuss the said issues with persons of peer age group.
Mr Parrikar further noted that the efficacy of i-pill to prevent pregnancy drops to around 58 per cent if taken between 12 hours and 72 hours, thus undermining its utility for the young unmarried girls, who pop up the pills like chocolates.
The Canacona MLA, Mr Vijay Pai Khot, pointed out that unprotected sex is largely practised in coastal areas, especially by persons under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
The Health Minister informed the House that the Drug Controller General of India has sent a notice to the manufacture of the particular contraceptive pill, directing to stop the said advertisement. He also said that children are induced into taking pleasure through their cell phones.
The Speaker of the state assembly, Mr Pratapsingh Rane said that cases of tuberculosis are increasing due to the rise in the HIV/AIDS cases, as the HIV/AIDS patients lose their immunity and easily contract various diseases like TB. He also asked the Health Minister to find out how many tuberculosis patients registered in Goa were locals and how many are migrants.
Speaking further, Mr Rane suggested that the government should enact a legislation making HIV/AIDS test compulsory for the couples deciding to get married in Goa.
The Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat pointed out that such an effort on the part of the government was stopped by various sections of the society, who found that such legislation would be encroachment on the privacy of the individual.
Replying to a question as regards the pathetic condition of the TB hospitals in the state, the Health Minister said the state government will be receiving Rs 50 crore from the Centre for the upgradation of the Goa Medical College Hospital, in phases. “We will also be renovating the city TB hospital,” he assured.
The Health Minister further maintained that a number of people were dying of TB, not due to unavailability of treatment or condition of the TB hospitals, but the indifference of the patients towards their follow-up treatment.