AIIMS hospital, ART clinic detained two HIV positive people for outreach activities at AIIMS hospital.

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

AIIMS hospital, ART clinic detained two HIV positive people for outreach

activities at AIIMS hospital.

Consortium of HIV positive people (Love Life Society) is a community based

organization formed by HIV positive people in the NCR of Delhi. It was

registered on February 25, 2005 as society and is the largest group of HIV

positive people serving their peers through various programs in the city of

Delhi.

The activities of our consortium include Day Care Center, outreaches, support

group meetings, adherence meetings, peer counseling, nutrition tie-ups, legal

support through our strong networking with Lawyers, referral to care home and

advocacy.

On February 15, 2007, two of our staffs as part of their daily out reach

activities to visit hospitals were detained for 4 hours from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m.

by security personnel at the instance of Dr. Professor S.K. Sharma, Head of

Department, ARV Unit. Lalu Ram and Ramwati (name changed) were left to starve

without food and water for all that time in their captive. They were in the

verge of collapse.

AIIMS ART doctors torn out the pages of their diaries and destroyed the valuable

documents. The staff at ART clinic was abusive and rude with them. It is

surprising to notice such an unprofessional behavior on the part of health care

professionals at AIIMS hospital.

ART doctors shun the doors of AIIMS hospital to HIV positive people just because

they were giving information to their peer of the Day Care Center, support group

meetings, adherence meetings, peer counseling, nutrition tie-ups, legal support

through our strong networking with Lawyers, and information about the available

facilities of Care homes in Delhi.

Do the doctors at AIIMS ART clinic has sufficient time to give to HIV positive

people?

Do they examine the HIV positive person with love and compassion?

Do they conduct adherence counseling for positive people?

Do they have support group meeting for HIV positive people?

Do they provide nutrition for HIV positive people?

Do they provide legal counseling for HIV positive people?

Do they conduct home-visits to their clients?

Do they have sufficient bed for admission for HIV positive people?

Are they doing follow up to the positive people who do not turn up for

collecting the ARV?

I want the clarification why the AIIMS ART clinic does not allow HIV Positive

People to help their peers. Why AIIMS doctors are playing with the lives of our

peers.

Francisco Xavier De Melo,

Consortium of HIV positive people, Delhi (Love Life Society)

Mr. Francisco Xavier De Melo

11-A/1, First Floor, Nangli Rajapur,

ISBT Sarai Kale Khan,

Near Transport Authority

Nizamuddin East,

New Delhi 110013

Phone: +91 11 243 51016, +91 11 417 45543

Mobile: +91 98 997 89664

Email:francisdmello64@...