Text Box: MAN AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN PREVENTING NEONATAL AIDS
Elidrissy A.T.H.
King Abdulaziz Hospital & Oncology Center

The concept of human rights need to be explained by stating that every man or woman is free to do, or say, what ever he or she likes provided that this action or words do not offend or affect any other person in any way.  Having said so every person with HIV have the right to keep that information confidential to her self, but people might be affected by his or her carrier state, also have got the right to know that.  In Islam the husband have got the right to known the HIV status of his wife.  Also the wife has got to known that, because that is again her right.  In this situation either of them have got the right to seek divorce, and it is their right to be granted.  But it is not the right of either of them to declare the cause of divorce to a third party.  As regards to breast-feeding and its relation in HIV transmission.  It has been shown that HIV is secreted in milk.  If the virus is swallowed it is likely that it will be destroyed by acidity of stomach, but still it is likely that it will get access to the circulation through an abrasion in the mouth or oesophagus.  Although most likely cause of transmission perinatally is antipartum or intrapartum in the majority of cases, but safely passed that state breast-feeding transmission may occur.  Now 600,000 infants contract HIV from their parents every year.  These parents are developing AIDS through irresponsible action and they are free to develop AIDS but inflicting their disease on their children and their partner is not accepted.  The only method of preventing neonatal AIDS, is by parents following the morality suggested by all religions.
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