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Nepal steps up AIDS-awareness campaign

She comes across as a typical Nepali housewife, quiet, demure and self-conscious when talking to strangers. But her demeanour hides a secret she now prefers to share.

Hesitant at first, then with more vigour, Sita Kumari announces: ''I am HIV-positive.'' A remarkable confession in Nepal, where people with HIV, the virus which causes the Acquired Immunodeficiency, Syndrome, face social discrimination.

''If I don't speak out now, then when?'' asks Kumari, a mother of one who believes she contracted HIV from her wayward husband who died last year.

''There's lots of social discrimination against people with HIV and AIDS, mostly because of ignorance. Society must be educated; I want to do my part,'' she says.

In Kathmandu, Nepal's capital, people with HIV are increasingly stepping out into the open to warn of the dangers posed by the virus. All they ask is for society to cast aside prejudices that make the hard lives of those living with HIV even harder.

''We want to jolt society out of its ignorance,'' says Sharan Chettri, a former drug user who has HIV. ''We want to tell people, 'Today it's me, tomorrow it could be you'. Our aim is to spread the message -- don't fight people with AIDS, fight the disease instead.'' It is a plea of desperation, seeking a stop to discrimination, and an acceptance of those afflicted with the disease. It tacitly admits helplessness in the face of AIDS, but seeks support, if not quite to battle it, to at least be in a better position to do so.

In this new battle, HIV-positive people have lately found a powerful ally -- the government. Last month, the ministry of health and ministry of women and social welfare announced a comprehensive set of programmes to be implemented in schools for HIV/AIDS education.

The programme also aims to increase students's access to non-discriminatory medical services for those with HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases. Almost a decade after the virus was first detected in Nepal, HIV has made inroads quickly, thanks to widespread ignorance.

The HIV situation in nearby India, large-scale migration across borders, drug abuse among Nepali youth and the trafficking of women combine to make the pandemic a public health nightmare.

According to recent figures released by the National AIDS and STD Control Centre, 955 Nepalis tested positive for HIV by the end of November. Of these, 179 progressed to AIDS, and 85 have already died.

The figures, however, are only for those who took blood tests. Other estimates run much higher. According to Dr B K Subedi of the NASCC the infection is progressing at an alarming rate of three new HIV cases every two days.

Efforts to halt the spread of HIV have largely focused on campaigns. Though progress has been made, these campaigns still fail to reach people with HIV who need sympathy, understanding and support.

''We have made some gains in the last few years,'' says Swastika Bhattarai, an activist and journalist who has reported extensively on the AIDS situation in Nepal.

''People in the cities are now more aware of the risks of infection. But at the same time, we need to move forward. There is a dearth of programmes that target the needs of people already living with HIV,'' Bhattarai explains.

For instance, she says, victims are routinely discriminated against by health care professionals who refuse to treat people with HIV. In any case, Nepal's health care system is inadequately equipped to provide such care.

Such difficulties prompted HIV-positive people in Kathmandu to band together and form a support group called Prerana, meaning 'hope'. So far, according to Chettri who leads the group, about 50 HIV-positive people have joined up.

Backed by a number of non-governmental organisations, Prerana not only serves as a support group for members by providing counselling facilities and medical care, but also takes on the difficult role of advocacy.

''We provide psychological comfort to each other. But our main goal is to go to the communities and spread the message of compassion,'' says Chettri.

UNI

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