Intentional spreading of HIV

An alarming incident at a cinema in Mumbai, India received world-wide publicity over the Internet to warn people about their vulnerability to contracting the HIV virus. The incident involved a group of about seven college girls who went to see a movie at Mumbai’s Metro Theatre. During the show one of the girls felt a slight pin-prick on her back but did not pay much attention to it.

After sometime the place where she felt a prick began to itch. So she scratched herself and then saw a bit of blood on her hands. She assumed that she had caused it. At the end of the show, her friend noticed a sticker on her dress which had a caption:  "Welcome to the world of AIDS".

The girl tried to pass it off as a practical joke but when
she went for a blood test a couple of weeks later (just to be sure), she found herself HIV Positive. When she complained to the police, they mentioned that hers was one of many such cases they had received.

It seems that those who indulge in this grave crime use a syringe to transfer a bit of their infected blood to the person sitting ahead of them. One man’s joke, or probably a vent to his frustrations became a horrible experience for the victim as also to the family and friends.

This could happen to anyone and while we all need to be alert, it is not really easy to stop infected people from giving vent to their own frustrations by injecting others. While the cinema incident was reported to the police, their response of acknowledging many similar incidents was surprising complacent. No official statements were made by the police to explain the incident and there were no known measures taken to net possible culprits thereby leaving them free to repeat their crimes.

The publicity on the Internet was launched by a family member of the victim so as to warn the world at large on the potential danger from vicious victims. The  worst bit of such incidents is that the person who does it gains nothing whereas the victim loses everything. It is possible such incidents happen in Tanzania particularly in areas where victims have nothing to lose because they are treated as outcasts thereby making their last few days on earth full of anguish and suffering.

This once again lays emphasis on the need to offer HIV-positive individuals healthy counselling whereby they are able to come to terms with their disease. The objective is to protect the needs of those not infected and balance it with HIV-positive individuals. Carriers should not be subjected discrimination with regard to employment, access to public transport or public places including places of worship where consolation can be sought in the presence of the Compassionate and Almighty God. In their last days, HIV-positive individuals deserve an attitude of ‘Live and Let Live’ from the people.