As an investigation into the geography of disease or geographical pathology, this study examines the prevalence of HIV and patterns of diffusion among various populations. Notwithstanding the positive relationship between migration and the spread of disease, the author strongly argues against the assumption that identifies mobility as an independent risk factor and expresses his disapproval of the commonly held belief that deems HIV/AIDS to be a ‘foreign disease’ brought by migrant workers. Instead, he states that attitudes that place full blame on migrant workers for the spread of HIV/AIDS indicate a gap in fully understanding the realities of the migration processes that make migrant workers more prone to HIV/AIDS. The article suggests that in Nepal, HIV is most likely transmitted through spatial diffusion, mainly through sexual contact. Groups that are likely to act as transmission channels include HIV-infected female sex workers who return from India and continue sex work in Nepal, migrant labourers who stop at Badi establishments, and rural youths who migrate seasonally or temporarily to urban centres or foreign countries. The author stresses the growing significance of medical geography in understanding the complex relationship between humans, environment, and diseases and states that geographers, through the tools of medical geography, will be better able to identify factors that contribute to the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and pursue preventive measures.

Nepal, P. 2002. Contributions to Nepalese Studies. 29:2, 311-324.