Finally Papua province realizes that its condoms and not RFID which can prevent spread of AIDS

Filed in archive Healthcare on December 29, 2008

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Image# 7233372

A few weeks ago I had talked about how authorities of Papua in Indonesia were seeking to pass a law which would require HIV patients to be implanted with microchips so that a watch on their sexual behavior could be kept and act as a deterrent to spread infections to others but this step had invoked criticism from various sections of the society. Even I felt that more than technology these people required proper education so that they practiced safe sex and it was a wrong decision on the part of the authorities to take such drastic measures to compulsorily implant them with microchips.

Even AIDS campaigners and health workers termed this plan as 'abhorrent' and stated that rather than using microchips proper education and condoms was the key to prevent spread of HIV. Alex Hasegem, Deputy Governor of the province went as far as to say that this act was a violation of human rights. After invoking such strong criticisms the provincial government has gone ahead and scrapped its plans to tag HIV patients. Finally they realized that it's not RFID tags rather condoms and proper education which can prevent spread of the dreaded virus!!