Why diseases should be named carefully

Why diseases should be named carefully

Disease names can have consequences. Yes this is true.

Government agencies generally do not pay attention whenever disease is named. This is not only in India but is prevalent in other countries also.

Swine flu has nothing to do with pigs but pigs were slaughtered in some countries at the time of spread of Swine Flu. In 2009 Egypt ordered killing of 300,000 pigs to stop its spread.

Spanish flu did not originate from Spain. Many organizations working on Spanish flu brought Spain to limelight claiming it to be the source of this disease and hence Spain could not censor reports and figures on this disease though some of the countries censored this.

HIV was first called “gay related immune deficiency” or GRID leading heterosexuals to underestimate the risk of unprotected sex.

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