Hyderabad, June 23: Don’t forget to invite a sex counsellor to a wedding in Andhra and don’t flinch at the sight of condom packets and safe-sex booklets in the gift hamper.

Nurses and midwives in government hospitals could soon double as sex counsellors advising those ready to tie the knot on HIV/AIDs, sexual disorders and safety measures under a proposal being considered by the government.

If the proposal is approved, auxiliary nurses and midwives will show up at weddings as guests, handing out their “special gifts” to couples about to start life together. Brides and grooms will be counselled on safe-sex practices, dangers of extra-marital ties and HIV/AIDS.

The nurses and sex counsellors will get an incentive on each couple they advise. Before they embark on the awareness drive, they will be given crash courses and armed with statistics on AIDS/HIV and sexual disorders.

The proposal, put forward by the state AIDS control society, also aims to include anganwadi workers. The health and education ministries are looking into the plan.

The counselling plan is based on a model tested by the Catholic Health Association of India and its mentor, Father Solomon, who advised newly wedded couples in churches. “More than 72 per cent of the couples accepted counselling,” Solomon said.

Over 5 lakh people are afflicted with HIV/AIDS in the state. Among other measures to check the disease’s spread are sale of condoms with beer, vegetables and milk.