World Aids Day And Indians Continue to Discriminate
While the world moves ahead with its thoughts and views on the subject of Aids and Aids infected people, in our country we seem to only move backwards.
One girl Savita Salunkhe (18) (name changed to protect identity) with full-blown AIDS is grappling to get herself admitted to hospital.Savita was rescued a couple of months back by an NGO, Rescue Foundation, from a red light area in Worli. But her joy of freedom was short-lived after she was found to be in the last stage of AIDS.
Triveni Acharya, president of Rescue Foundation, said, “Savita was refused admission at Bhagwati hospital on November 25 and again on November 29. On both occasions, we were given the excuse that she is suffering from a skin infection. On Thursday, we went to KEM, where we heard the same thing.
”Doctors there advised us to take her to a skin specialist. All this, after we know that the rashes in her body are caused by the dreaded disease. In fact, three-four girls with the same symptoms have AIDS. It’s strange that when the girl is suffering from AIDS, civic hospitals want her to be treated for skin infection.”
Writhing in pain at Rescue Foundation’s home at Borivli, Savita said she wants to end her life. “I want to die, I don’t want to live anymore.”
How can citizens of a country progress or even attempt to lead a normal life, when the authorities’ incharge of their well-being are so pre-occupied with their own mental in-capabilities.
Hopefully we all will be able to move beyond the dark ages and except those who need us and our support.
We all have a right to express our views. In many instances; it will be against ours and in some; with us. To hear them out is 'decency' but to let them get to you is 'weakness'. 
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2 comments | Leave your comment
Dec 1st, 2006 at 7:51 am | #
Its easier to blame Doctors and authorities. This is because lay public have hardly any knowledge about what is full blown AIDS case. All the Doctors are not trained to recognise and treat AIDS. Most of them can treat HIV+ person but to treat AIDS is all together different case. Besides what treatment can be offered.It’s palliative and symptomatic Do we have budgeted for this? What about other hospital staff? How do we protect them from getting infected? What we need is specialised centres and Hospital for treating AIDS cases( Differentiate them from HIV+ person).
More important that this is to identify HIV+ cases and treat them and delay/prevent full blown AIDS. In India we dont have figures of HIV+ cases. We are just guesstimating and discussing in seminars. We are concentrating on Preventing initial infection rather than identifying caes and preventing spread and progress of disease.Thats why it has become an Epidemic and we have maximum cases. There is protest against WHO plan of Testing for HIV all person seeking Medical help or undergoing Medical Check up. Read my blog on this, published last AIDS day.
Dec 1st, 2006 at 8:03 am | #
Dear Prism : I completely understand where you are getting at and you do infact raise some very valid points. But to use these issues as an excuse to send needy victims away are just not valid. Even if there is ‘no’ treatmeant to cure the infection atleast they can make the whole ordeal less-pianful for infected people like Savita, rather than making her run in this condition from one end to another.
A system works better if all contribute towards even if NOT in equality…knowing the in-side workings of NGOs working on HIV+ and AIDS related issues…I can vouch that they are doing what they can to the very best….but we need other important aspects such as the government, hospitals, doctors and most importantly the society itself…to do their bit towards it.
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