Re: INP+ Completed Seven Years of Advocacy

[Guest guest]

Congratulations INP+ -- on your seven years of advocacy. Now you have to travel

further from the days when a lone man, Ashok Pillai, campaigned ceaselessly

thruough the width and breadth of India about the growing legions of HIV

positive people.

You not only have to take away not just the stigma and discrimination but also

fight for better health services all around. In a country where white vaginal

discharge is seen as " normal " because millions of women have no access to

washing water, who will fight for free ART for positive men, for example?

In a country where child mortality is climbing up because spending on primary

health services is going down who will fight for free ART for positive men?

In a country where despite the success of the anti-TB program, compliance is

still 20 per cent for a six month DOT program, what guarantee is there that

compliance for ART will be life-long?

All these and more are what INP+ must tackle even as it sheds some of the

opportunists and scamsters within the ranks of positive people. Tavckle

sexuality head-one. Two decades into the HIV epidemic and the gender ratio of

HIV infected is still 4 men to every woman. What says about same-sex HIV

transmission will require an altogether another posting on this list but think

that over 80 per cent of HIV is transmitted through unprotected sex and act

accordingly.

As a heavy diabetic and two-times TB patient (the last time it was MDR TB

because of travelling in Bombay's 'locals' when my immunity was rock bottom), we

well-wishers assure you that we are always there with you......

Hats off to seven years of advocacy of INP+

Ashok Row Kavi/ Mumbai

E-mail: <arowkavi@...>