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HIV-hit left in lurch
GORKHA, SEP 01 -
HIV/AIDS infected people in Gorkha district are in the lurch due to financial crunch. They are deprived of basic treatment facilities including blood tests, medicines and counselling.
The district office of the National Association of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nepal (NAP+N), an organisation working for HIV infected people, is on the verge of closure. Official work has halted since the last eight months as the United Nations Development Programme that signed an agreement with the centre for one year did not extend support. “We are unable to run the office,” said Sanu Maya Khadka, an employee.
Khadka, an HIV infected person for the last 10 years, said it was bad that the office is about to close at a time when victims need more support.
It is distributing medicines with the help of the district hospital. “We have been managing the office chores by collecting donations from victims,” Khadka said, adding that the authorities have turned a deaf ear to the victims’ demand.
NAP+N Central General Secretary Basanta Chhetri said the centre expanded its branch in Gorkha for a certain period with the support of foreign donors. “It is up to the local bodies now to run the office,” he said. According to data available at the office, there are 44 HIV victims, including 27 women and a third gender in the district.
Posted on: 2010-09-02 08:18
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