Chennai: Awards for positive people

[Guest guest]

Awards for positive people

R. Sujatha

Honour for eleven on World AIDS Day

CHENNAI: As the saying goes... When one door closes another opens.

On Friday, the 11 proud men and women who walked on stage showed

little signs of the humiliation they faced over the years. The

awardees were denied opportunities but trudged on and were honoured

for their perseverance on World AIDS Day by the Government — with

shawls and certificates. The audience response was spontaneous when

it clapped.

B. Sekar was the first to declare his status through the media in

1993, a year after testing positive for the virus. He founded the

Social Welfare Association for Men, an organisation for homosexuals.

Five years ago he began anti-retroviral therapy (ART) treatment. SWAM

has 482 members in Chennai.

Rama. Pandian, founder of Tamilnad Network of Positive People+,

started an association for people living with HIV/AIDS. The first

such association in the country, it has 6,000 members. He has been

living with HIV for 15 years and has not yet taken ART.

" I was told I would live for three years in 1992 when I tested

positive. I was insulted and forced to resign by job. Everyone was

worried about their life and despaired about the future of their

family. Awareness messages were not there for the affected. That's

when I set up an NGO for HIV people. "

In 2004, the State AIDS Control Society used his association to train

doctors. " I decided I would not take ART until I had helped 1,000

people get ART. I am still not on ART. " S. Noori, president of South

India Positive Network+, tested positive in 1987. She started ART

three years ago. Her organisation for aravanis has 1,700 members in

Chennai. Meenatchi, 30, contracted AIDS from her lorry-driver

husband. " We helped two widows to remarry. We do home-based care. "

Her Society for Positive Mothers' Development in Coimbatore has 220

mothers. Sixty-eight children in the organisation have tested

positive while 16 children receive ART. The widow has been on ART for

four years.

Others honoured include: P. Kowsalya, Positive Network, Rajendran,

CPT+, Daisy, CPN+, Chennai; S. Pitchaimani, TDNP+, Theni; G.

Karunanidhi, TNNP+, Madurai; S. Kowsalya, TNP+, Namakkal; and K.K.

Abraham, INP+.

Two doctors, Rajasekaran, superintendent of Government Hospital for

Thoracic Medicine, Tambaram, and Amudha Hari, a private

gynaecologist, received lifetime achievement awards.

Dr. Rajasekaran was honoured for innovation in treatment care and

support of people living with HIV/AIDS. Dr. Amudha had helped 200

positive mothers in childbirth. All children are negative.

http://www.hindu.com/2006/12/10/stories/2006121015690300.htm