Now, a dedicated marriage portal for HIV-infected people

People with HIV infection can now look for a marriage partner on a web portal specially designed for them.

The portal -- matrimonial.gnspplus.org -- was launched today at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) to address the confidentiality concerns of people infected by HIV (human immunodeficiency virus).

The online platform has been created by Gujarat State Network of Positive People (GSNP+), a non-profit organisation, with the technical support of the IIMA's Centre for Management of Health Services.

The Surat-based Sri Rama Krishna (SRK) Knowledge Foundation has offered financial support.

Daksha Patel, the president of GSNP+, said the concern of such people is how to approach a matrimonial platform without disclosing their health status.

"When we met HIV positive people, we found some of them had no families and social support. It was difficult for them to find a life partner," she said.

This led to the NGO earlier launching a marriage bureau for HIV-positive people, with the help of which 245 couples have so far tied the knot, she claimed.

The web portal is the outcome of the NGO's experience with the marriage bureau, Patel said.

IIMA Director Errol D'souza termed it as a "very progressive step".

He said the field surveys reveal that the number of people infected by HIV is higher than the official estimates.

"A research is needed on what is possible to contain the disease before it becomes endemic," D'souza said.

"The web portal dedicated to the HIV-infected people to come together in matrimony is a very progressive step. We should treat these people as normal human beings," he said.