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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | HIV positive people urge centre to pass AIDS Bill -Janani Sampath

HIV positive people urge centre to pass AIDS Bill -Janani Sampath

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published Published on Jan 21, 2014   modified Modified on Jan 21, 2014
-The Times of India


CHENNAI: For 42-year-old Daisy it has been a never ending battle. She has moved into 16 different rented houses, lost her job and missed many of her daughter's graduation day -- all because she tested HIV positive 16 years ago and has been a victim of discrimination since then.

HIV positive patients are victims of stigma at home, workplace and hospitals, and reprieve from it remains a mirage for them.

The HIV/AIDS Bill, which was finalized by the government in 2006, is yet to be passed in the Parliament.

Representatives of the Chennai Network of Positive People (CNPP), backed by World Vision India people, gathered in the city on Monday to demand the bill be passed in the next session of parliament (in February). "The bill had been shuttling between the health and law ministries, with millions of HIV positive people getting being subjected to discrimination due to the delay," said CNPP president R Selvam.

N Surekha of Lawyers' Collective detailed the provisions of the bill and said it would go a long way in improving the quality of life for HIV infected people if it was passed at the earliest.

"Until now only discrimination at the government sector has been addressed. But if the bill is passed, even the private sector will come under its ambit. It would also ensure that HIV patients would get free treatment as only the first phase of treatment is free now and they have to pay for second and third phases," she said.

The bill also aims at covering the victims under 'Right to informed consent' and 'Right to confidentiality'.

"The bill, which has been pending since 2006, was to be cleared in the December session of the Parliament but as the session was adjourned in advance, it never saw the light of day," Surekha added.

Containing the disappointment over the bill not being tabled, C Kumaravel, a member of CNPP, said apart from addressing discrimination issues, it would also strengthen treatment methods for HIV.

"In India 2.5 billion people suffer from AIDS out of which 2.5 lakh people are in Tamil Nadu. But we have only 4 centres that provide AIDS treatment and there are link centres in three other districts, but this is not enough. We are forced to travel several kilometres and spend money to do so just to survive each day," he said. He said they were subjected to biased treatment at hospitals where doctors hesitate to treat patients with HIV.

Campaigns and protests had not made an impact on politicians to pass the bill, Daisy said. "They seem to understand when we explain our plight and then they talk only about issues that would benefit their own parties. Research says people infected with HIV can live up to 25 years after diagnosis. So is the government just planning to let us rot till our last days," she asked.


The Times of India, 20 January, 2014, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/HIV-positive-people-urge-centre-to-pass-AIDS-Bill/articleshow/29119384.cms


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