Hey DMers! Thanks to everyone who came out for our two 50 Days events at BU Central and Pour House. Dance Marathon is coming up so quickly, and we are really excited for the number of dancers we have signed up so far!
To continue our exploration of AIDS around the world, we'll talk a little about the epidemic in Asia. India and China are the future of the AIDS problem. The Indian government has neither acknowledged nor provided resources for the growing number of infections, and hospitals often provide counseling but no medicine.
In India, infection of only 5 percent of the population translates to 50 million people. HIV positive women in India are deemed worthless and are kicked out of their homes. The infection, though often transmitted by a man, is always blamed on women. Social and cultural barriers to prevention in the country include the importance of having children to verify a marriage. Often, women in India will knowingly contract HIV to get pregnant rather than leaving their marriage.
One of our charities, The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, has provided more than 800,000 women in India with critical prevention of mother-to-child transmission services. The Foundation continues to provide critical prevention services, along with counseling for HIV-positive and HIV-negative women in India.
Source: A Closer Walk, 2002.
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