Ashwini Kumar Choubey (first from right) and CP Thakur (second from right) at the health check-up camp at the BJP office in Patna on Sunday. Picture by Jai Prakash

Patna, July 17: Health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey while inaugurating a health check-up camp at the party office today asked the BJP MLAs and other ministers to go for regular HIV tests to keep the disease at bay.

“AIDS is considered to be a serious disease and people who are infected do not openly tell others regarding their ordeal. But I would advise all the ministers and MLAs to go for HIV tests regularly. More than a disease, it has become a social stigma and people keep a distance from those who suffer from it,” Choubey said.

Choubey said: “The ministers and the MLAs should not feel ashamed of getting the test done. They are the representatives of the people and in this way they should set an example.”

When The Telegraph asked the minister whether he has done HIV tests, Choubey said: “Yes. When a health check-up camp was organised at Gandhi Maidan, I was the first person to go for an HIV test. I did not feel ashamed and why should I? After all it’s a good thing to do.”

He, however, did not reveal the report of the HIV test and said: “I think I have spoken a lot on the issue.”

Senior BJP MLA Arun Kumar Sinha said: “I believe every MLA should go for the HIV test because they are the people who represent the masses and they can set example through this. There is no harm in that and we should not encourage such kinds of mentality that going for an HIV test is shameful. There are so many sex-related diseases and the party workers and MLAs should not hesitate for a check-up.”

Today, around 400 people registered for tests related to different ailments. Many top doctors were called to conduct the free health check-up.

On the occasion, a health check-up helpline centre was also inaugurated at the party office, which will remain open for the party workers 24x7.