Rising Violence Against AIDS Patients in India: Rights Group

[Guest guest]

" Rising Violence Against AIDS Patients in India: Rights Group "

Agence France Presse (11.13.02)

New York-based Human Rights Watch warned on Nov. 13 that

increasing violence against HIV-infected persons in India is

threatening the international aid effort. Referring to Microsoft

founder Bill Gates' $100 million AIDS grant to India, HRW's AIDS

program Director Joanne Csete said, " Bill Gates is right that the

AIDS epidemic is poised to explode in India. But his generosity

will be undermined if the Indian government doesn't do something

about the widespread violence against people who are affected by

the disease. " HRW said it has documented numerous cases of police

harassment and violence against HIV/AIDS outreach workers in

India, as well as evidence that people with HIV/AIDS face abuse

and discrimination in the health care system.

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[Guest guest]

Hello,

Very happy that Joanne has pointed out that the Gates money will yet again

not see results if the response to people affected by HIV isn't

positive.This point cannot be emphasisied enough.

Violence against those affected with HIV is beginning to get reported more

often now. And the concern that the violence will drive the virus

underground - making prevention an impossibility - is a thought that is

beginning to get clearer for alot of policy makers and others.

With the new NACO officials, there is a great likelihood that issues around

stigma and discrimination get greater attention. The commitment to link care

and prevention seems evident, the commitment to address gender issues seem

evident - what we now have to do is to assisst NACO take this road seriously

and ernestly.There is already a shift in the tenor of the IEC materials

coming out of NACO - that is an example of the broadening of the response

from 'controlling AIDS' to 'responding to AIDS adequately'.

regards

Mona

E-mail: <plife@...>

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