CHENNAI: During his residency in JIPMER during 1986-87, Dr N Rangarajan, consultant psychiatrist, came across a patient suspected of having AIDS. It was only then the disease was coming to the fore. The patient was not treated well by the hospital staff. “Looking at the way he was treated by the staff, the patients in the ward would get wary and start panicking,” he shares. It was then that Dr Rangarajan sat next to the man to prove that — AIDS did not spread by mere contact.
After 30 years, though the scenario has changed and families of the people living with HIV (PLHIV), are ready to accept them, the society in the city remains wary. “It would be dumb to say there is no stigma at all. But it is not as bad as before. People are aware of how HIV spreads; so it doesn’t stop them from employing people,” says Aiswarya Rao who has been working with PLHIV for 15 years.
When they find symptoms, people are open to get tested. While the death rate in Chennai has decreased, people getting sexually transmitted diseases are between the age group 15 to 49. “The most infected are those who get the disease from the mother and youngsters who have multiple sexual partners,” says Dr Poongulali of YRG Care.
Aiswarya says that the reason for the societal change in attitude towards PLHIV is because they are getting proper treatment. “Now a PLHIV does not look sick. Until and unless they tell you, you won’t know they are HIV positive. They are leading an almost normal life. Yet, PLHIV from the poorer section of society are asked to quit their jobs when their employers learn of their disease.” Poongulali adds, “We have had some employers bring in their staff for a test and provide medical care but the percentage is low.”
Stigma is higher when a child with HIV goes to school. “It is no longer mandatory to disclose that a person has HIV to all he/she meets. Even a year back, children with HIV were stigmatised. But now it is a lot less as school authorities are informed of the condition and asked not to disclose it,” says Aiswarya.
While there is enough awareness, Aiswarya insists. “We need a paradigm shift when it comes to creating awareness. Earlier there were many advertisements and pamphlets that spoke about AIDS and HIV. It has reduced. People think they are aware, yet their mindset hasn’t changed,” she says and shares a story of three young girls from Chennai who committed suicide because of discrimination. “They were born HIV positive and as they grew, they began having sexual partners. We were told that they took the step because their partners ridiculed them for having the disease.”
“Compared to the regular community the discrimination against the LGBTQ community is a lot more. They are discriminated based on gender and the disease. In Chennai, only the ART treatment is made available to them and there is no follow up,” says Vikram Sunderraman, an activist working with the community.
Most of those who are stigmatised get depressed and develop mental health problems. That is again a concern. “It is better for the transgender community to come out openly with their problems. Many gay people who are still in the closet don’t know whom to talk to, and so slip into depression”