Among the 2440 HIV/AIDS patients, many of them have not informed their partners yet. Till now, there is not any such law which compels them to inform their partners. The government must make new amendments in the HIV/AIDS Preventive Measures Bill to make a sexually transmitted diseases (STD) test compulsory before any marriage. This policy has to be implemented in order to prevent the proliferation of this disease and to protect the rest of the population from getting contaminated.

When two persons decide to marry, no one can prevent them from doing so. Requiring an STD test certificate before any marriage does not mean that if one of the partners turns out to be HIV positive, he or she won?t be able to marry. To marry or not will entirely depend on the consent of both partners and within all transparencies after receiving the STD test certificate. This certificate will remove the veil from any unknown or concealed matter so that the couple can take their precautions to prevent their partners from getting contaminated and, thus, reducing the risk of having an HIV positive child. Implementing this policy can save the lives of many people.

I know that ?le peuple admirable? will not accept this policy so easily as they have been accepting the constant rise of price of gas but we have to remove our stereotyped glasses through which we view this problem and think open-mindedly. As says so well Mr Ally Lazer: ?Sida na pa guet figir?! So why not take effective preventive measures to protect our nation! ?Better prevent than cure? but unfortunately, till now, there is not any cure for this disease yet! HIV/AIDS does not concern a specific population only; everybody can fall into this bottomless pit! Adopting this policy will be one of the other stepping-stones to prevent HIV/AIDS and to protect those who are not contaminated yet.

In the battle against HIV/AIDS, we will surely need the support of religious institutions. Will the church, the mosque and the temple agree with this policy and put it into practice? Will they demand a STD test certificate before conducting a religious marriage ceremony? Yes! Father Henri Souchon says: ?Taking into consideration the speed with which HIV/AIDS is spreading, the government must protect the nation and must introduce the laws to do so. If HIV/AIDS is touching the youth population, then we must definitely ask for a STD test certificate before conducting any marriage. It will be dishonest on behalf of someone suffering from HIV/AIDS, to hide this fact from his/her partner. In this context, the marriage contract will also be invalid from the Christian point of view.? Maulana Haroun of ?Shaan-E-Rassoul? Mosque, Port- Louis says: ?I totally agree with the policy to demand a STD test certificate before conducting a marriage. There?s no reason why Muslims and ?imams? will refuse to do it, as there is nothing which is out of the rules and regulations of Islam in it. Demanding a STD test certificate will be the way to protect those who are not infected yet. ?Zordi sida fine met ou en face ou mem?. We can?t let anyone fall into a trap.? Pandit Jaykeswar Ramnundun of ?Parvati Mandir?, Henrietta, says: ?This disease is multiplying at such a speed that if we do not take any action, the whole population will be affected. People won?t agree to do this test before a religious marriage until this does not become a law. The government must apply this policy as a law so that people may abide by the law for their betterment.?

<B>?New amendments from the government?

Mr. Imran Dhannoo, president of Idrice Goomany Centre which is not only involved in drug abuse prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, but also in HIV/AIDS screening outreach programmes says: ?The official statistics shows that there are 2,440 HIV/AIDS cases in Mauritius but my estimation is that there may be up to 10,000 to 12,000 HIV/Aids cases in Mauritius. I am for the idea of requiring a STD test certificate before a religious marriage. We must encourage people to do this test before a marriage.?

Implementing this policy does not discriminate against the HIV positives. Indeed, I have great respect for these people but we must protect those who are not contaminated yet. As many HIV positive persons are hiding their state of health to their partners, a STD test certificate before any marriage will have to be essential before any marriage.

We people must put aside our stereotyped views and think open-mindedly as this policy will protect the health of many people. Those who ask for a STD test certificate before a marriage will compel people to take their precautions so as not to be contaminated and thus prevent others from being contaminated. The government must make new amendments to the HIV/AIDS preventive measures bill in order to protect our nation and to reduce the proliferation rate of HIV/AIDS. So why not take it into consideration and implement it in the ?HIV/AIDS preventive measures bill??

<B>Jaffaralli BILKISS</B>