Re: Bangalore Municipal Corporation Orders Closure of HIV/AIDS Care Centre

[Guest guest]

Forum,

The issue of Bangalore Municipal Corporation orders closure of HIV/AIDS

care centres is to be addressed very seriously.There is still lack of

communication in and around the health system.There are closed-heart

officers who make lot of legal and ethical conflicts in the system.This is

not a surprise nor an isolated issue.There were similar incidents in many

parts of the country.Two kids denied schooling and related stories in the

total literate state of kerala was in the forums recently.All these raise

some concern among us which is insufficient.There must be a central policy

and a strong state wise support to provide services to the positives in

need.Education and mobilization of support of masses for this cause is vital.

We request all the concerned to take necessary action in this regard to

repeal the action or at least to stop similar incidents in the future

thanks

Subhash.T.V

E-mail: swfk@...

[Guest guest]

Hello to the forum again, I've been mostly reading and not writing

lately.

I have a file in my extensive library which includes almost all

the posts from , AIDS-ASIA, AIDS-AFRICA and the numerous

other AIDS.coms that help to inform the globe.

One of these files has some stories and reports that have been

extracted for quick reference.

The title of the topic for these files is " THEATRE OF THE ABSURD "

and this post from Bangalore Municipal Corporation has been

elevated to the highest scoring position of absurdity.

Now I believe a petition should be immediately presented to the

Bangalore Municipal Corporation requiring that for the

psychological well-being of residents all persons who are diabetic

and who inject themselves using needles be immediately transferred

to an isolation hospital.

In the debate that must follow many will point out that it is not

possible for diabetes to be considered dangerous for two reasons,

scientific, and the fact that there are too many families who

would be devastated by the enforced isolation where the fears are

groundless.

When the diabetes debate is concluded to the satisfaction of the

Bangalore Municipal Corporation that diabetes should not worry the

community, just substitute HIV into the arguments and the

conclusion should be the same.

I was toying with the idea of whether I should find the money to

attend the 7th ICAAP in Kobe Japan this year and after reading

this determination I believe I now should and that a significant

part of the agenda for ICAAP is any number of absurdities that

arise within the Asia Pacific area that discriminates against

citizens that are unfortunate to have to live with a virally

impaired immune system and make these an international issue with

a focus on show cause notices as to the competency of the various

S.A.C.Authorities.

It is a well established fact that along with medicine, nutrition

and safe water, community based care centres give the best

prognosis for recovery of health status and a more normal life.

The last place people who are infected with a non contagious blood

borne virus like HIV or HCV is a hospital unless they are sick and

need treatment for the illnesses that can be serious at times for

people with impaired immune systems, which of course includes

people with leukemia or cancer as well as HIV.

I am sure that there are enough community minded lawyers in the

Bangalore Law School who can immediately make application for a

stay of the decision by the Bangalore Chief Health Officer who

should immediately be offered a scholarship to the 7th ICAAP so

that his public duties can be informed by science and medicine and

not solely by community hysteria. I might add that the same goes

for the Education Minister in Kerala. There are no shortages of

theatrical demonstrations of human rights violations where HIV is

concerned, both in India and in many other parts of the most

affected world.

One other example that comes to mind, just so India doesn't have

to think they are alone in absurdities is the witch doctors in

Zambia who confidently assert that any HIV+ male who wants to be

cured must simply seek out an unprotected sexual encounter with a

virgin female and the virus will shed. Obviously the witch doctors

can't spell because what is happening is that it spreads instead

and the age group of young virgins is reported to be as young as 6

mths old so that if it doesn't work there is no one complain.

Geoff Heaviside

E-mail: gheaviside@...

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

Ref: " The Samraksha HIV/AIDS Care Centre at OMBR Layout in Bangalore City faces

closure "

This is outrageous and can't be taken for granted. State Govt of Karnataka

should be told that they are bound by National Policies based on which they get

financial assitance from the Govt of India. These things can'tbe left to whims

of insensitive civic officials. May be the Bangalore civic chief should consult

his Mumbai counterpart and get some guidence as to how to cope up with HIV/AIDS.

My advice to Sanghamitra and her colleages is not to yield and take up the

matter at the highest political level.

J.V.R.Prasada Rao

E-mail: secyfw@...

[Guest guest]

Ref: Bangalore Municipal Corporation Orders Closure of HIV/AIDS Care Centre

The type of issue described below is a cause for activism. Such closures should

be made more widely public, along with exposing the bigotry of the individuals

involved in the closure.

Might I offer some ideas for action?

First, identify the specific HIV/AIDS care centers that were closed. Identify

the individuals responsible for the closures at the Bangalore Municipal

Corporation. What were the reasons they gave for the closures?

Second, mobilize community support locally and, if need be, internationally.

Prepare a letter to have people send that protests this. Identify individuals in

the government who should be concerned and alert them. Utilize the media to

bring the grievance into the open. It brings the issue of HIV into the public

eye more, which may help to address stigma, as well.

Consider other forms of protest. Sitting in at their offices of the BMC may be

one way--bring television, print, radio or other media to document the event. If

arrest is risked, assure legal representation is available!!! Such a tactic is

not uncommon in the United States, however may not be an advisable approach.

Confrontation can take many forms, of course.

But non-violent confrontation and exposure of injustice must be undertaken in a

meticulous, thorough and rigorous fashion lest it overwhelm the scant resources

that are available to help people with HIV/AIDS.

I hope you find these thoughts helpful.

M.

E-maiil<gmc0@...>