As of today, millions of Indians have been diagnosed with AIDS; millions have died. In less than 15 years, AIDS has become the principal killer of all Indians between the ages of 15 and 49. It has also been found recently that Indians do not have genetic protection against the AIDS virus compared to other groups, especially the southern population. This means that they get infected more easily compared to other groups. Since the epidemic began, an estimated 20 million people worldwide have been infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
People infected with HIV are our friends and neighbors; they are people in our offices and schools, temples, churches and mosques. They are our children, our parents, our brothers and sisters. They live in every state and community in our nation. Everyone needs to know about AIDS because it waits at everyone's door. Each of us must learn how to prevent infection with HIV, how to support the people around us who are HIV-infected, and how to make sure that our national, state, and local governments deal sensibly with this insidious disease. Hiding behind the veils of cultural superiority or karma is not an option; AIDS is a sexually transmitted disease and has to be tackled accordingly.
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