A wedding hall in Chinnamanur in Theni district in Tamil Nadu insists on imperative HIV test before marriage. According to E Muthu, member of the managing board of the marriage hall, the decision to insist on HIV screening for couples about to be married was taken for many women in Chinnamanur and the surrounding villages have lost their husbands to AIDS.

 

Earlier, when a 25-year-old auto driver, Selvam was about to get married with his fiancé; just before the ceremony his fiancé came to know about Selvam being a HIV positive. Soon both were asked for a HIV test before conducting their marriage at the Maravar Makkal Manram. The situation for groom was heartbreaking as he was tested HIV+, and could not marry the girl who is safe.

 

Factually, AIDS is a major health issue in state of Tamil Nadu, and the first case of HIV was discovered in India in 1986 in Tamil Nadu itself. Today, the State has about 240,000 people suffering from the infection. However, TN government with Tamil Nadu AIDS Initiative (TAI) has in the two years of its existence with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's Avahan scheme has done well in recent years.