Why are we treated as social pariahs, asks HIV+ network

September 1, 2005

With over 2000 members in Bengal, BNP+ aims to provide HIV+ people

the `mental strength' to face a hostile society.

Anuran Lall Singh Handa

Kolkata, August 31: The first case of HIV/AIDS was reported in india

in 1986, and ever since, these victims have been forced to live a

life of disgrace, emphasises Tarit Chakraborty, himself HIV positive

and the president of Bengal Network for People Living With HIV/AIDS

(BNP+). An organization which works among various AIDS patients, its

scope is summed up by Tarit: " We give all possible help and provide

training to these people, so that they can find mental strength to

fight all odds and also help others. "

With over 2000 members throughout West Bengal, the organisation aims

to create a buffer against the stigma faced by Aids victims today.

BNP+ has also formed a media advocacy cell in order to reach out to

people through the mass media.

" A crucial point to ensure is that benefits of all kinds reach their

targets properly and are effectively utilized. Though there are so

many programmes to remove the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS conducted

by the Government and other Voluntary Bodies, the end result is

zero. Such programmes have failed to reach the masses in the rural

areas where the people are socially ostracised once they have been

detected as HIV positive, " said Bappaditya Mukherjee, who has been

actively associated with the organisation for the past 4 to 5 years.

" There are hardly any medical services available to the Aids

patients in the rural areas and even when there are, these victims

are ill-treated. Also, HIV positive children are treated with

neglect and even sometimes thrown out of the school as other

students don't wish to study with them, " Bappaditya pointed out.

" The situation is somewhat better in the cities, " claims Nisa Ray,

who is the secretary of BNP+ and HIV positive herself, " but in the

villages, these patients are not even allowed to use the ponds. Even

the family members of these victims turn hostile. "

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