Shakila Sultana
Dhaka, July 30 (News Network)–“Enough is enough. No more hiding. We’ll have to fight for our dignity and rights. And this how we can force the society to change its attitude towards us,’’ says Perveen, a HIV carrier.
Perveen (not her real name) got infected with the deadly virus from her husband who lives abroad. “When I came to know first that I was affected by HIV, I felt like a death warrant and I wanted to die instantly,’’ says a distraught Perveen.
She goes on: “When our fellow-villagers came to known that both of us are HIV positive, they have isolated us. No one freely mixes with us and feels discomfort to talk to us. Even our 12-year-old son gets the same treatment. Thank god! Our son is okay. Now my aim is to help my boy lead a normal life.’’
By the time Perveen’s husband has passed away amid social negligence, but she has not given up. Now she is an active member of Mukta Akash, an NGO working with the HIV-affected people.
In 2004, CARE Bangladesh published a book named ‘HIV and I’ describing the plight of an AIDS victim, Shivani. While working abroad as a housemaid, she had met a car crash that needed her to have blood transfusion. Shivani was given blood by another maid, who was a HIV positive. This is how she got infected with the deadly virus.
When her employer came to know about it, they sent her back to Bangladesh. On return home, she went to a doctor for treatment. But the doctor handed her over to police. Police confined her in a room. At that time, people used to gather to see her and talk among themselves how to kill her.
“ I’m still alive, as there are a few good men in the world. It was not my fault that I got affected with AIDS. Despite this, the society considers me as a criminal and hates me,’’ Shivani says with tears rolling down her face.
Like Perveen and Shivani, many become socially isolated after being tested HIV positive. Everyone should extend helping hand towards those affected by this lethal virus so that they can lead a normal life.
In this regard, CARE Bangladesh development officer Mosfaq Salehin says, “AIDS is not an infectious disease. AIDS doesn’t spread through social mixing, eating and bathing with the affected people. It even doesn’t spread through an affected person’s sneeze, cough and clothes.’’
He says provided instant treatment, the affected people can be kept healthy. Currently, a medicine, ‘antirecto virus drug’ (ARV) is used in treating HIV positive. This medicine reduces the amount of virus in the body to a certain extent. Though expensive, if this treatment continues, an AIDS-affected lives a long life.
According to UN report on the global HIV academic 2002, the number of AIDS-affected people in Bangladesh was 13,000. But a government report released in December, 2005 claimed that the number of HIV-affected people was 7,500. Above statistics show that Bangladesh is at risk. And taking preventing measures is the only way to escape from this disease, as there is no cure for it.
Taking the affected people on board, says Mukto Akash executive director Mukt, the preventing measures against the disease will have to taken. “All of us will have to change our attitude towards the affected. If we can believe that this is nothing but a disease, we certainly can prevent it.’’
She also says, ‘’If we trust and love the affected people, and make them aware, they’ll themselves help prevent the disease. It’s not possible to prevent it by hating a HIV carrier or distancing from him or her.’’
According to a World Health Organisation report released 2002, there were 4.2 crore AIDS-affected people in the world and another 4.5 crore will be affected by 2010. USAID fears that 7 crore men, women and children will die of this disease.
As of now, the number of HIV positive people in Bangladesh is much lower. But, the AIDS epidemic in neighboring India and Myanmar is a matter of grave concern. Besides, a large number of people visit India for various reasons. Due to this, AIDS can take an epidemic turn in Bangladesh, according to experts.
Habiba Akhter, executive director of Ashar Alo, an NGO, says, “Most people in Bangladesh know nothing about the disease. They do not know how it spreads and they can escape from it. According to a UNICEF report, 96 percent women and 88 percent men have no idea of AIDS.’’
Besides, she says, “due to lack of education and counseling before going abroad, people get engaged in risky sexual relationship there. This is how they return home carrying the virus. And knowingly or unknowingly they affect others. Despite leading a relatively safe life, women are getting affected. Therefore, those who go abroad will have to be made aware first. The topic should be included in textbooks to make children aware about it.’’
Most people think AIDS is caused only due to sexual relations. They, however, do not know one can be affected by this disease through non-sterilized needles, syringes, razors and blades. Besides, the infants of affected mums may have the virus. The babies can also be affected by breast feeding. If awareness can be created about this, the disease can be prevented. Experts think the number of AIDS-affected is increasing day by day only due to superstitions.
In fear of public humiliation, most of the affected people keep their conditions secret. So, the disease spreads silently. In this regard, Habiba Akter says, “if it is made public, the affected person loses his/her job. Everyone concludes that the AIDS-affected are very bad. Due to the fear of being socially discriminated and isolated, the affected people do not provide any information.’’
Experts feel that there is more to be done for the HIV carriers although nowadays many organizations are working for their welfare. Along with moral support, they need financial assistance, as the treatment of this disease is very expensive.
Obviously, the AIDS-affected people always live in fear of dying. On top of it, they receive cruel sometime inhuman treatment from the society. This really makes them feel devastated. Everyone needs to keep in mind that they are not criminals. They must not feel the absence of love and care.
- NewsNetwork
