HIV and its social implications Educating doctors
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: August 08 2011 -

AIDS kills. So too does Cancer and Hepatitis. There is as yet no vaccine for HIV/AIDS and so too for some types of Hepatitis, notably Hepatitis C.

Yet medical science, especially the introduction of ART coupled with the methodology of the CD4 test, has meant a whole lot of new development to people living with HIV and today contracting the HIV virus is no longer seen as holding the death certificate, the only rider being timely or early detection and availability of medical provisions.

The same is the case with Cancer and Hepatitis. Yet unlike Cancer and Hepatitis, the social implication of HIV runs much deeper and this is clearly manifested in the classified information like aura that surrounds any person infected with the virus that causes HIV/AIDS.

There is a reason why a complete veil of secrecy, behind the door whispers etc prevails over a family when any of their members come under the category HIV positive.

This is the reason why millions and millions of dollars have been pumped into awareness campaigns and why a huge amount of money is kept aside solely for spreading awareness programme on how the virus does not spread by sharing a common toilet, hugging, eating together or attending the same class.

In fact the stress is as much as on how the virus cannot be transmitted as on how it can be transmitted and this itself is indicative of the deep social implications of HIV/AIDS.

An appreciation of the social implications is therefore felt deeply needed whenever one talks about HIV and as long as the awareness programme is thought indispensable among the common citizens, it may be taken as something that comes along with the task of battling HIV, but the moment awareness campaign is felt needed for the very set of people who are there to treat the HIV positive people, then it is time to draw the line and conclude that something, somewhere is drastically wrong.

Such a state is uncomfortably close to a situation where ignorance and arrogance combine together to present a deadly blow, not only to the HIV positive people but to the global efforts put in to combat the virus and lessen its impact on mankind.

The allegations that have come pouring in from Ukhrul over the death of a HIV positive man on July 26 is a case in point. The accusations that have been levelled against the health care providers in Ukhrul district is something that cannot be simply swept under the carpet and demands a more thorough probe into the case.

The allegations are serious and it should be taken seriously, for it is not only the family members of the deceased man who have cried foul but also a good number civil society organisations including the Tangkhul Mayar Ngala Long, Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong, Indigenous Mothers' Association, Khamasom Youth Organisation etc. Surely these organisations cannot be expected to fall hook line and sinker to any baseless allegations.

In Manipur as in some other places, HIV infection is closely related to needle sharing especially amongst intravenous drug users and with the global outlook towards IDUs and drug abusers changing to keep in sync with the need of the time, any understanding of HIV positive people entails a working knowledge of the phenomena of needle sharing and behaviour pattern of drug users.

If what happened in Ukhrul was a case of arrogance and ignorance combining to exact a heavy toll on a family and society by extension, then what happened at Chu- rachandpur may be attributed to false beliefs coupled with the ostrich with its head in the sand phenomena.

There can be absolutely no reasoning for thrashing a drug user much less an inmate of a rehabilitation centre to death and it not only defies human explanations and logic but also indicates a warp sense of the very people who are there to counsel the drug users to the path of recovery. A rehab is a centre for rehabilitation not a centre to subject the inmates to beatings.

Or else why should there be the need for rehab centres in the first place ? It is also a clear indication of the counsellors or helpers not receiving adequate training. It is this lack of professionalism that is alarming for treating drug users cannot be left to the hands of amateurs. The chalta hai attitude has to go, especially when it involves human lives.

The incidents at Ukhrul and Chura-chandpur are disturbing indications that the fight against drug abuse and HIV infection may be going down the drain. The huge amount of money spent on awareness campaigns, the faith and belief with which family members rush their sick and ailing HIV positive kin to the hospital lie shattered.

It is the same with the case of parents and elders of a family who admit their children and wards to a rehab centre so that they may be brought to the road of recovery.

Perhaps the Manipur AIDS Control Society need to put in more efforts and concentrate on sensitising the professionals who are meant to treat HIV positive people before spending resources on educating the public.

Far from the public learning from these professionals, it is a tragedy that a situation has been created where the public need to impart education to these professionals.

This is a fall out of institutionalising arrogance and ignorance. Fix responsibilities. No one has the right to play around with human lives.