Being HIV positive or being an AIDS patient is difficult enough, but in our country the level of ignorance about the syndrome and the virus is baffling. At times, human decency is ashamed by the way they treat the patients.
In this day and age, when the myths about diseases like HIV and AIDS are being debunked, there comes a state’s AIDS awareness campaign that is downright shocking and flawed with myths.
According to an India Today report, a pamphlet issued by Punjab state-funded AIDS awareness campaign, by Punjab State Aids Control Society (PSACS), is wrong on so many levels and is full of misinformation.
It says that the deadly disease can be contracted by shaking hands with the person infected, eating from the same utensil and even using the phones or e-devices used by them.
– Using utensils used by an AIDS infected person too can cause the disease.
– Devices like mobile phones, computers used by an infected person too can spread the disease.
– Using toilets used by an infected person can infect you with AIDS.
Huh? Are they living under a rock? This is so flawed and it’s actually scary that the people of the state are being fed with such untrue information.
Various studies have shown that these myths about AIDS have been debunked ages ago. Remember that during the 90s, celebrities were spearheading the awareness campaigns in our country?
In one of those, Shabana Azmi was seen hugging an HIV positive child and saying that they don’t need rejection but only our love. What happened to that? It is really sad to see something like this.
Chhoone se AIDS nahi hota Chhoone se sirf pyar phailta hai…hve been told its has largest recall value in ads! https://t.co/riXbmYPFo1
— Azmi Shabana (@AzmiShabana) June 13, 2016
It is only with proper awareness and dissemination of information about the ailments, that people can get rid of the age-old myths around HIV and AIDS.