Sahana Charan for The Hindu

Government blamed for failure to address social aspects 

• Two persons with HIV ended life in the last month in Bangalore
• 71 cases of death due to AIDS reported from the State this year

Bangalore, Dec 12: Even as efforts are being made to remove the stigma about AIDS, Bangalore is witnessing a shocking trend of HIV-positive patients committing suicide, apparently with the fear of being looked down upon by society.

In the last one month, two HIV-positive persons have committed suicide in the city. The most shocking of them was reported on Friday night when a HIV-positive woman killed her six-year-old son and later took her own life. However, there have been no recorded cases of HIV patients taking such extreme steps earlier.

Even though the State Government agencies claim that the incidence of HIV/AIDS cases had fallen from 1.6 per cent of the population in 2004 in the State, to 1.34 per cent, and that efforts were on to remove stigma about the disease, the outlook is hardly reassuring. Voluntary organisations and health activists blame the State Government's failure to address both the health and social aspects of HIV/AIDS and lack of support from the family and society as reasons for infected persons to take the final step. According to Amuda of the Karnataka Network of Positive Persons (KNP+), concerted efforts were being made by both the government and non-governmental organisations to remove stigma and discrimination against persons with HIV/AIDS through sensitisation programmes for different groups. But it is not enough.

She said counselling services in Voluntary Counselling and Testing Centres (VCTCs) were not as sensitive to the agony of infected persons as they should be.

"We are not sure about the kind of counselling given to persons who have just discovered that they have tested positive, at government hospitals. But we have been asking the Government to allow HIV-positive people to counsel others who have tested positive and are in a state of shock or denial, but this has not happened," Ms. Amuda said.

Lack of qualified staff

Christie Abraham of Action Aid told The Hindu that there is a lack of qualified staff in VCTCs.

"Secondly, there is still a great deal of insensitivity and discrimination towards these patients. The patients have to wait outside the testing centres. Confidentiality is not maintained as others visiting the hospital will know what they have come there for," she said.

She added that most persons with HIV/AIDS are ostracised by the family and society and there is lack of support for positive persons who want to live a fulfilling life despite all odds.

Emphasis

"There is so much emphasis on prevention of HIV and not much importance is given to care and support for persons living with HIV/AIDS," she added.

In 2006, 10,796 positive cases have been reported and 1,167 people diagnosed as having AIDS in the State.

An alarming 71 cases of death due to AIDS were reported from the State this year.

In Bangalore Urban district, 457 HIV positive cases were reported and there have been 20 deaths between January and September 2006, according to official estimates.