While an unnecessary debate, whether HIV/AIDS test should be mandatory or not raises, we ask the doubting Thomases to talk to these four women who got HIV becasue their husband’s married them with the infection. Now they are about to take their wife’s life, even after they are dead.

• Arti never knew what HIV/AIDS was until her husband fell seriously ill. Tests revealed that he was HIV positive. She was also advised to go for HIV/AIDS test. This was four years back. In 2002, she lost her husband. Even Arti’s elder daughter was found positive. From then life has become an unending struggle: struggle to live, earn and lead a healthy life. Living with HIV/AIDS, Arti is trying hard to ensure that two of her children who were tested HIV negative have a secure future.

• Sheela’s was a child marriage. At the age of four, her parents got her married to a person much older to her. At the age of 12, she came to live in Goa. She had five kids. Four years ago her husband died of HIV/AIDS. Later her three kids also fell prey to the dreaded disease and lost their lives. Her only consolation is that two of her younger children were tested negative.