New Delhi: To check spread of sexually-transmitted diseases during Commonwealth Games, an NGO working for the welfare of prostitutes in the national capital has asked the government to grant visas to tourists only after ensuring that they are not HIV positive.
`Bhartiya Patita Uddhar Sabha` has asked Union Health
Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and External Affairs Minister S M
Krishna to instruct Indian diplomatic missions abroad "not to
issue visa to any foreigner or NRI without production of
medical certificate that he/she is HIV negative."
"Similarly, no Indian, visiting abroad may be issued visa
without production of similar medical certificate," the letter
said.
Lakhs of foreigners are expected to visit Delhi during
the sporting extravaganza from October 3 to 14.
"That is why we have requested the Central government to
check medical certificate of individuals before giving visas
to them," NGO president Khirati Lal Bhola said.
He said the mega sporting event poses a great threat
and challenge to the government to put a check on sexually-
transmitted diseases.
"Any foreigner found with HIV, must be hospitalised and
action taken against the Embassy which had issued it," he
said.
According to National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO),
about 2.5 million are suffering from AIDS in India.
"It is expected that during the Commonwealth Games, the
cases of AIDS may rise further as thousands of foreigners
apart from sports-persons and officials will visit India to
witness the games," the letter said.
The NGO is working for the welfare of about 5,000
prostitutes in about 116 brothels at the G B Road here.
PTI
