MSM PLHIV are facing lack of availebility of Blood

[Guest guest]

Dear forum,

Love Life society is state level Network of people with varying sexuality,

Gender identity and sexual practices with HIV/AIDS. It strives to improve the

quality and standard of the lives of people living with HIV or AIDS and work

towards restoring human rights and dignity.

Blood transfusion in India has always been a cause of concern for many. As the

blood banks are mainly deficient in the amount of blood, which is needed by the

masses, families are the most common source for many. I see this paradox as I

notice in many families.

MSM people largely faced discrimination from Family, friends and society when

they infected from HIV virus, they faced double stigma and discrimination, if

they required blood transfusion nobody came forward to donate blood either from

family, friend or society.

Our many of the members are facing these problems, they do not have family

support and due to lack of support, we as a MSM PLHA network always wanted to

give them a help, if we can do anything to them. But we are also in the same

plate as we are too HIV positive. We are trying to build a group/network that

can help us to provide us a blood when we required.

The one of ARV combination medicine called Zidovodine, which PLHIV was taking,

many of PLHIV made prone to anemia. In the course of time they did become anemic

and is in dire need of blood. As is seen with many HIV people around, in mostly

cases PLHAs families are also HIV positive, which is not complementary to their

situation. This rules out the probability of their family trying to help them.

They approach their distant relatives but they are too neglected them due to

their sexuality and HIV status.

The various blood banks are follows their rules as if somebody donates the blood

then only they can provide them blood, they only provide blood when any

emergency/causality happens without any prior demand and this clearly is not

reflected in to our case. " This is not a one time affair " we stated. Now we turn

to others around. As a community we are posed with the question as to who will

help us?

I would like to pose this question as to where we can go now? Is there a special

provision made for people like PLHAs? I am looking for these answers but they

continue to elude me.

Thanks And Regard

Firoz Khan

General secretary

Love Life Society

MSM PLHAs Network of Delhi

Phone: +91 11 22185655

Fax: +91 11 417 45543

Mobile: +91 99117 99650

Email:lovelifesociety@...