If I had the authority I would have made the medical report a precondition for marriages in our society. I am, however, sure that intelligent girls would insist on a medical check up by the bridegroom before consenting to a marriage because it is meant to guarantee the whole family’s health and happiness.
Just imagine the shock a young woman suffers when she discovers that she is on the brink of death from a terrible disease. This is exactly what happened to a beautiful young woman who was bubbling with joy on becoming pregnant. The pregnancy report noted that the woman was an HIV positive. The doctor did not reveal the matter immediately. He sent her blood sample for a second opinion. The earlier finding was confirmed. She swore by God that she has never exposed herself to a situation where she would run the risk of contracting such a disease. The source of her disease, it turned out, was her husband himself as he tested positive. He used to travel abroad often.
This is a sad but real story. There are several fatal or incurable diseases that can at least be stopped from passed on to children if the concerned man or woman did not marry following some warning signals in the medical report.
Young women about to be married would save themselves and their children from terrible diseases if they insist on a medical report from prospective bridegrooms. That condition would be a thousand times better than demanding large dowry and jewels. It will also contribute to mutual confidence and love as both man and wife know that neither them suffers from dangerous physical or mental ailments, though some families of girls conceal such information from the suitors.
There is no need for a man or woman to feel ashamed if they demand a medical report from each other. It is only a precaution to protect themselves from an unhealthy and unhappy future.
In my opinion, marriage registrars in our country should not register marriages until they see the health reports of both the bride and bridegroom. But I don’t think it will happen in the near future as we are a people ashamed of facing the facts. It was reported some time ago that a young woman, suffering from a dangerous mental illness, killed her husband. Her parents did not tell their son-in-law that she was schizophrenic with murderous instincts. If they had informed him in advance he could have taken her to a doctor or at the least taken some precaution to save his life.
11 August 2002
