PM gets emotional as AIDS victim narrates her agony

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh turned emotional when 17-year-old HIV-positive Rumana narrated her tale of agony at a HIV/AIDS convention in New Delhi today.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh turned emotional when 17-year-old HIV-positive Rumana narrated her tale of agony at a HIV/AIDS convention in New Delhi on Tuesday.

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The Prime Minister's eyes turned moist as he heard Rumana speaking about how she got the disease from her mother. "I have cleared my 12th Class and wish to study further. I wish to live a life of dignity... please help me do so."

She later asked the Prime minister and Sonia Gandhi to make provision of second-round treatment for AIDS patients at the district level, so that the disease-affected persons like her do not have to travel far.

Sonia Gandhi, who was sitting next to the prime minister, listened to the girl with rapt attention.

The HIV/AIDS Convention held at the Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi was organised by a Forum of Parliamentarians on HIV and AIDS, in partnership with Health and Family Welfare Ministry and NACO, Ministries of Panchayati Raj and Urban Development, UNAIDS and AIILSG.