Kolkata: PLWHA kills self at charity home

[Guest guest]

In City of Joy, HIV man kills self at charity home

TIMES NEWS NETWORK [ TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2005 02:07:57 AM ]

KOLKATA: Ashim Bala did not wait for AIDS to kill him. He hanged

himself to death in the bathroom of Santi Daan, a Missionaries of

Charity home in Tangra, early on Monday.

The 35-year-old was admitted in the home located at 37 Pulin Phatick

Road in Tangra, on October 6, 2004 in a critical condition. The

suicide was discovered by inmates at 6 am. " I was informed by Sambhu

Deb, a patient. I went to the bathroom and saw Bala hanging. I got in

touch with Brother Patra, the home in-charge. He had the body

removed and called in the police, " said inmate Sudhakar Rao who is

also suffering from AIDS. Enquiry officer B.K. Kundu took the body to

NRS Hospital for post mortem. Brother Patra, who was at the hospital,

wasn't available for comment.

Vivian , also an HIV positive patient like Bala said, " Bala was

very sick. He would vomit continuously. He dreaded taking food. I

generally took his food to him and told him that a healthy diet and

treatment would improve his condition. " sighs and adds that his

words fell on deaf ears since Bala had " lost the urge to live " . Bala

was a labour contractor from Bongaon. He is survived by his wife and a

minor son.

Since Saturday, Bala had been more dejected than usual. He had

received a telephone call from his wife in Bongaon on that day. " He

told me his wife would not be coming to visit him on Sunday. She would

come 10 days later, " said . His wife visited him frequently.

Santi Daan has three rooms and the one in which Bala was staying was

for critical patients. Even as Bala's body was being removed for post

mortem, three people were bedridden and battling for life in that

room. " They might die anytime, " said .

The home can accommodate 27 patients. There are 19 HIV patients in the

home at present. Whatever Bala's reasons for putting his life to a

hasty end, neglect is unlikely to be one. Rao, who was a fruit juice

seller in Bhubaneshwar, said, " Back in Bhubaneshwar, even the doctors

refused to treat me. Here the brothers never made us feel unwanted.

They ate with us and took care of us. We don't interact with

outsiders. We spend our time working and looking after other patients,

who are more ill than us. "

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1000355.cms

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

When I was checking my mail that time I found this massage. Thanks to times of

India.

We were also there. And what we have done from Bengal Network Of People Living

with HIV/AIDS side is what we are explaining here.

Ashim Bala, was committed suicide on 24th January early in the morning. He was

admitted at missionaries of Charity (M.O.C) by KNP+ for last 1 year, as he was

very poor, KNP+ sent him for shelter. He has young wife, one child of 4 years

and widow mother.

They started ARV, and atlast Ashim Bala came in Aurvedic Treatment, from that

particular time he was totally confined in the missionaries of Charity premises,

as he was in trial, the people of missioaries of charity don't allow them to

come out as we faced press against Aurvedic treatment, till that particular day

they didn't give entry to PLWHA, and specially who are the members of network,

our friends who are admitted at missionaries of charity, they are not allowed

them to come out atleast at tropical school of medicines ( STM) O.P.D.

Today two of the members of M.O.C. came for his family address and already our

member gave message to his family, we first attend M.O.C. and met with our

friends, they told about their confinement, verbally but not give any written

document as they became very much affraid about their future, body was still at

N.R.S. and police already filed that case, brother was at Police

Station, E-TV, came for coverage, about this uncertain death, they gave false

information that last night some ring came from his family, after that he went

for suicide.

Then from BNP+ also told original message, that due to confinement he was

depressed and he was committed suicide, then we visited mother's house, and met

with Sister Nirmala, and gave brief of this incident, Sister gave us assurance,

that she is taking this case under humaniterian ground, and they will take the

responsibilities to save PLWHA from that confinement.

Ashim bala died but we hope in future other will get independence, who are

confined due to someone's ego. BNP+ are trying to help the family of Ashim bala,

which is possible for us. His wife is positive and child is negetive, so we are

trying to do something for her as early as possible.

So this was the fact.

Tarit Chakraborty.(President BNP+).

E-mail: <tarit_chakraborty2004@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear all,

It is so heart rending to hear stories like this from time to time. I have

worked in this field for quite a while to know that when one commits suicide it

is not just one issue.

Most of the time when PLWHA commit suicide it has been because of their

inability to tolerate any more pain mostly physical. Fear that it could get

worse, feeling of isolation and the list can go on.

If Mr chakraborty, KNP+, is implying that PLWHA are kept forcibly in MOC, this

is serious allegation. While most of us reading this do not actually know what

is going on in MOC. What we do know however is that MOC has a history of

treating and caring for people who are destitute and dying. Valuing life and

allowing a person to die with dignity has been something they are committed to

for many years now.

We have had cases of people committing suicide in tambaram hospital in chennai,

and this certainly does not mean that patients are treated poorly, kept against

their wishes or are neglected.

We have hundreds of patients accessing services of tambaram hospital in chennai

on a daily basis. Suicides could happen in the best of facilities, with this one

case of suicide lets not assume and jump to conclusions about MOC or any

organisation or hospital working in HIV.

We must keep in mind that currently many organisations, facilities working in

HIV work over time, with limited resources in terms of personnel and other

resouces. We need the support of all those who can care and support with the

kind of numbers of positive people we are dealing with right now.

As for any irregularities in MOC I think we should allow the local police to

come to a conclusion after their investigation.

Warm Regards

Magdalene Jeyarathnam

Counsellor and couselling trainer

Chennai

E-mail: <magdalene.jeyarathnam@...>