“Virus has no bias. The social spectrum of AIDS patients is a snapshot of society as we see it every day. Right from top religious leaders, HIV can affect anyone,” said director of Shanti Ashram, Kezevino Aram. On a rainy morning, she addressed students, social workers, and members of various religious organisations in the city at the Interfaith Youth Round Table on ‘Scriptural Response to HIV/AIDS’ conducted by the National Council of Churches, India. The seminar sought to unite religious heads in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
“Eighty per cent of HIV/AIDS is spread through sexual intercourse. The remaining through contaminated blood transfusions, skin puncturing and from mother to child. It is a psychosocial disease that reflects the moral standing of our society and affects the youth, our primary work force,” said Bangalore-based doctor Shobha Yohan in her overview of HIV/AIDS. Since the root causes of the disease’s spread stem from deep within society, it is imperative that those influential in society address the issue and religious organisations come foremost, explained Dr. Kezevino.
The prevalence of HIV/AIDS is also higher among urban and illiterate populations, observed Youth Leadership Head at Shanti Ashram, G. Vijayaragavan. To identify causes for this, in a brainstorming session, participants narrowed down on crumbling values as a key issue. “Families today prefer material possessions over quality time with their children; students face undue peer pressure; communication and trust between elders and youth has broken down; the human body has been commodified,” were the various responses.
“If we understand that our lives are a gift of god and if we stay faithful to the values of our conscience, we will remain trustworthy stewards of that gift,” said director of Assisi Snehalaya, Fr. Ferdinand Melappilly. But once HIV/AIDS has affected a patient, religious organisations must respond with unconditional love and support regardless of religion and caste, observed the participants. “There’s often a blanket response to AIDS patients: ‘they deserve it’. But it’s not shaming people but developing trust and ensuring confidentiality that will help,” said Dr. Kezevino.
In practical terms, organisations said they could generate awareness within their circle of influence, encourage early diagnosis and treatment, and most importantly, maintain a platform for open dialogue. “Among organisations, it is vital to stay united for shared challenges,” said Dr. Kezevino. HIV/AIDS patients are often excluded from their families and their medical expenses are immense. They need a support system from society and religious organisations can step in here, she added.
The fallouts of HIV/AIDS are unique to each people group. In Coimbatore, children born with HIV/AIDS are often abandoned, and children born of HIV/AIDS parents are orphaned by their parents’ early death. These are the specific needs that religious organisations in the city are already addressing. Participant groups included the Perur Patteeswarar Temple, Konamman Temple, Jamathe Islamic Hind, Karumbukkadai Sunnath Jamath Masjid, Church of South India and Conventual Franciscan Friars.
