With the objective of providing a common platform to people living with HIV and AIDS (PLHAs), medical professionals, lawyers, social activists, non–government organisations, academicians and mediapersons, a three–day regional assessment workshop for state–level networks was inaugurated on Monday.

As many as 30 representatives from Haryana, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and Punjab are participating in the meet.

Some of the major issues discussed were fund generation, employment for HIV+ people, need to encourage PLHAs to adhere to medication, accessibility to anti–retroviral treatment centres and awareness among public to remove the stigma attached with the disease.

“Out of the total 400 people infected with HIV in Chandigarh, around 80 per cent are women. Surprisingly, there is a huge divide among the northern and southern states of the country. The same situation is dealt with tolerance, literacy, awareness and leadership which lacks in the northern states,” said Pooja Thakur, president, Chandigarh Network of Positive People (CNP+).

CNP+ and INP+ are campaigning and organising programmes with PLHAs for HIV/AIDS care, treatment and advocating on their rights and duties.

“We recommend that Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV/AIDS (GIPA) should be given prime importance to plan for intensive and effective strategies for access to care, treatment and improvement of quality of life of positive persons under NACP–III,” added Thakur.


Source: Indian Express