Minister advocates 'safe sex'

Hyderabad, Nov 6 (UNI) With the dreaded HIV/AIDS assuming epidemic proportions in Andhra Pradesh, Tourism Minister J Geeta Reddy today strongly advocated practice of safe sex.

'We should no longer confine ourselves to sermonising on moral values. We must create awareness among the public about safe sex,' Dr Reddy, a practising doctor said, while inaugurating a national seminar on 'revitalising rural health care' organised by the Apollo Institute of Hospital Administration here.

'The society need not be ashamed about sex as it is a biological need. We have to break the silence. We need to talk about safe sex to stop the spread of the dreaded disease', she exhorted, adding, that poverty drives poor people to such activities which lead to AIDS'.

The recent outbreak of vector-borne diseases like chickungunya and dengue in the country had come as a 'blessing in disguise', as the administration had fully geared up to the issue of keeping the surroundings clean, she observed.

She urged the private sector to join hands with the Congress Government in the state and the party-led UPA Government at the Centre in their efforts to improve health care in rural areas.

Ms Sangita Reddy of Apollo Hospitals here said 'Bharat Swas' on January 15, a novel rural health care insurance scheme would be launched to make advanced surgery accessible to rural masses as problems needing surgery were largely responsible for their indebtedness.

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