E-Paper
Of HIV+ by HIV+ for HIV+
Overcoming humiliation and fear of social discrimination, HIV positive people in Allahabad have grouped together and decided to take the disease head-on. In a courageous move, a group of HIV positive people in the district have formed the city's first registered organisation to help HIV patients in fighting this dreaded disease and live with dignity and self-respect. The organisation 'Uttar Pradesh HIV Positive People Network' formed in April 2005 has now more that 150 HIV positive people as members.
Overcoming humiliation and fear of social discrimination, HIV positive people in Allahabad have grouped together and decided to take the disease head-on. In a courageous move, a group of HIV positive people in the district have formed the city's first registered organisation to help HIV patients in fighting this dreaded disease and live with dignity and self-respect.
The organisation 'Uttar Pradesh HIV Positive People Network' formed in April 2005 has now more that 150 HIV positive people as members. The office-bearers including secretary and president are also HIV positive.
This self-aided organisation is working on the four main objectives of providing treatment to poor HIV patients, informing HIV positive people about the government treatment and rehabilitation facilities, making the society aware of the problems of the HIV people and counselling and advocacy of the HIV people.
After initial hesitation atleast 60 people in the city have also become members of the organisation, informed district vice-president Rakesh Singh.
"We want to tell people that HIV does not mean that we have to lead the whole life in shame and humiliation. HIV positive people also need support and care from the society which is missing. They need to sustain themselves and their families," he added.
Singh informed that initially the extremely poor rural HIV positive people joined the organisation for getting treatment and other facilities.
Later many HIV people from good families in the city joined the group to share their problems with other members. Although they don't want to get their names revealed. But still the rural people are more open to their problems, he added.
"People suffering from persistent fever, cough and weight loss come to us and we send them to the medical college for getting their HIV test done. If found HIV positive they are counselled and referred to BHU for the ART treatment, which is provided on nominal rates," he further informed.
