Lesson from dealing with AIDS stigma in Gandhinagar,

[Guest guest]

Recently Parivartan has initiated a network for the PLWHA in Gandhinagar,

Gujarat.

In my earlier mail I had mentioned about Manjula, who is bold enough to openly

admit about her status. But her boldness is not appreciated by some of her

neighbours. Not only her children are not allowed to mingle with other children,

they are instructed to remain inside the house, so that they don't pollute the

air. She tried to explain that though she and her husband are HIV positive,

their three children are not. The neighbours would shut her up by calling her

names

like prostitute and woman of lose character.

Things became unbearable for her when they circulated a paper to collect

signature from others in their attempt to force her vacate the rented house. She

went to police. Later the entire episode was published in a popular news paper.

As we realised shifting her from that house to another locality, would not solve

the problem. In all probability she would face a similar situation there too. We

decided to go to the spot and invite the neighbours for discussing the basics

of HIV/AIDS. We also invited some prominent organisations and local police for

joining the meeting. The state secretary of PLWHA too joined us.

While the neighbours understandably denied all accusations, we tried to explain

the myths and realities of HIV/AIDS. That Manjula's all the three children are

not HIV positive was proof enough that the neighbours were not in any kind of

danger to get the infection from Manjula and her husband - was pointed out by

us.

But the point was not only that. The stigma of HIV was even a bigger issue than

the virus itself and a woman has to bear the burnt much more than a man. Though

Manjula is living with her family, being a woman she had to listen to such

offensive adjectives, which are not only against her dignity, as a mother she

feels helpless to protect her children as well. With his failing health her

husband is either in bed or out to attend business matter. He is in construction

business and he has to earn for the entire family.

Who cares about her health? Even she herself has no time to think about it.

Arati Samajpati

E-mail: <parivartan@...>