SARS & AIDS Conference in Chennai

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

This is in response to the proposed conference on " SOCIAL STIGMA BEHIND HIV AND

SARS INFECTIONS. " proposed by Chennai based NGO 'SAGODHAR'

(sagodhar@...) as part of the 5th anniversary activities of SAGODHAR.

I regret that I would not make it for the conference.On reading the mail,I would

like to put across some of the points I had observed and wanted to

express from My side.

As you very well know,that we do not refer to HIV as a dreadful disease

anymore.Please avoid such terms as it may cause lot of anxiety among the common

people.

I think we cannot compare the impact of SARS with HIV. HIV had it's inception

well over a decade in India,and SARS has just set it's step in.

The disrimination to HIV positives are more severe and bringing such topics now

is unnecessary.As our government has gone into the third phase of HIV care

and treatment ,we ought to start thinking of what we can do to prevent new

infections and the services for people living with HIV.

Please do not go backward,let's move forward in bringing our discussions to some

concrete strategies.

Being a woman living with HIV myself,I feel so hurt on seeing this mail.I hope

you would take some steps in making the discussion a very uselful one to all who

attend.

Thank you.

Kousalya

E-mail: poswonet@...