Jharkhand: Healing touch to patients - Network hopes to bring HIV positive

[Guest guest]

Healing touch to patients - Network hopes to bring HIV positive

people to mainstream

OUR CORRESPONDENT

Ranchi, May 18: In an attempt to bring the HIV positive people of

the state into the mainstream of society, a network — people living

with HIV affected (PLWHA) — was formally launched here today.

In addition, the forum has also been formed for advocacy, linkage

and supply of the Anti Ritroval Therapy (ATR) to the patients.

The network, comprising HIV positive people, would involve in

different types of promotional activities like forming self-help

groups, creating awareness and income generation.

Organised by Jharkhand State Aids Control Society (JSACS), in

collaboration with Catholic Relief Service and NACO, a one-day

strategy-planning workshop for the formation of the network in the

state was organised today.

Project director of JSACS Rajiv Arun Ekka said through this network,

our aim is to protect the rights of the HIV positive people and

bring them into the mainstream.

" We will create an environment for their decent living and try to

minimise the stigma attached with the disease. By forming self-help

groups among HIV patients, we would try to give them a peaceful

living, " he said.

Joint director of the society D.P. Taneja said the network would

also bring awareness among the people.

" The network would also lend support to the poor patients and

arrange ATR for them, " he assured.

While discussing the network, director of St 's Trust, Andhra

Pradesh, said at present there are about 700 HIV-affected

people in the trust.

" World Food Programme has reached Bihar and soon we will implement

it in Jharkhand so that the HIV positive patients get a healthy diet

and do not die due to starvation, " he said.

Citing an example of Subha Rao, an HIV positive from Andhra Pradesh,

said both husband and wife are suffering from the disease for

the past seven years but still living a decent life with a monthly

income of Rs 8,000. The husband works in the trust and the wife

works as a nurse in a government hospital, he added.

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