E-Paper
HIV haunts even after death
Even after death, no villagers came to their house; nobody participated in their funeral; and their four-year-old child has become a prey to negligence. The killer HIV is the reason behind all that.
Even after death, no villagers came to their house; nobody participated in their funeral; and their four-year-old child has become a prey to negligence.
The killer HIV is the reason behind all that.
The people of Mahuja Makdi Dubey village were in a state of panic when a couple, Devendra and Prem Shila, who were declared HIV positive died in a span of 72 hours. Their only son, four-year-old Vishal, who was also afflicted with HIV, has become a prey to negligence. However, the grand mother of the child has decided to take care of him.
According to reports, Devendra, resident of Pakdi Dubey village under Gagha police station was in Mumbai from 1990 to a living. He was married to a girl, resident of Barhi village under Jhangha police station, in 1992. The couple was residing in Mumbai but Devendra came in touch with the people of red light area and started consuming alcohol. Later, he was infected by Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
In 2003, Devendra and his wife Prem Shila were declared HIV positive after a medical test. During the past two months, they were residing in their parental house in Mahuja village.
Devendra died on May 9 and within a span of three days, his wife, Shila, also succumbed to the disease. Following their death, the villagers were in a state panic.
The only son of the couple Vishal (4), who is also HIV positive, was discarded by their family members. The health officials have not yet taken any notice to the plight of the family. Besides, no NGO has extended their helping hand to this family.
The death of the HIV positive couple raised question regarding the effectiveness of anti-AIDS awareness programme and its counselling centres.
