HIV humiliation- affected villages witness exodus

Apparently unable to withstand ignominy and social boycott, the families of the HIV infected people of Bangarmau town in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district, have started leaving their villages.

According to the reports several families have already shifted to their relatives' homes from their villages where dozens of people were treated by a quack and tested positive for HIV infection.

Reports said that those, who have chosen to stay, have confined themselves to their houses.

Sources in the district administration said that some families have stopped sending their children to the schools after reports of their boycott by other children came.

''We have reports that at least six children have stopped coming to the schools...all these were tested positive for HIV infection,'' said a district official in Unnao.

The officials have now planned to undertake counselling of the families of the victims and other residents of the villages, sources said.

The district administration had clamped down on at least 76 clinics being run by quacks in different parts of the district, sources here said.

The number of the HIV affected people has galloped to 80 after tests were conducted on more people of the town, sources said adding that this number could go up further.