People living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) from Global Alliance for Human Rights (GAHR), a non-profit organisation, on Friday said that they were planning to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek his help in protecting the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS, improve their access to quality treatment, care and support services and demand their inclusion in the Ayushman Bharat Yojana.
“Many are dying due to unaffordable treatment, especially during shortage of drugs. Often, doctors refuse to treat patients and do not conduct surgeries due to the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS or because PLHIVs cannot afford to pay,” said Brijesh Dubey, chairman of GAHR.
Quoting the annual report data of National Aids Control Organisation, Mr. Dubey said that there are approximately 68,000 AIDS-related deaths per year in India and emphasised on the necessity to pay immediate attention to the problem.
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Rani, a transgender said, “If my community comes to know that I am HIV-positive they will not support me. Survival will be difficult. Thus we need to be included in the Ayushman Bharat scheme.”
Anjali Gopalan, executive director of Naz Foundation, said that over 500 HIV-positive people were scheduled to travel to Delhi to meet the PM on International Women’s Day on March 8 for submission of their plea, but the number has reduced to 50 owing to the fear of spread of COVID-19.