700 HIV/AIDS people builds awareness with World Vision’s “Let’s Walk Together”.
Picture for representational purpose only.
Chennai: About 700 people, including children, infected with HIV/AIDS, took part in a walk organised by World Vision’s “Let’s Walk Together”, on Wednesday at the Marina beach to build awareness and urge the passing of the pending HIV/AIDS Bill.
“The passing of the long-pending HIV and AIDS Bill in its original form will contribute to reducing the epidemic and will also protect the rights of people living with HIV. We do not have a legislation/Act to protect their rights of people suffering from HIV. The need of the day is to pass the Bill, incorporating all the provisions necessary,” said Reni Jacob of World Vision India.
“We have seen children affected by HIV and AIDS across the country and their families being denied their right to a dignified life because of the stigma attached to the disease. Legal protection would go a long way in ensuring that these children are able to access their rights,” said Dr Jayakumar Christian, national director, World Vision India. World Vision India, along with partners, has been conducting consultations as well as state-level forum to work towards zero discrimination towards PLHIVs.
Daisy David, while working in the Gulf region as a lab technician in 1998, was accidentally diagnosed as HIV positive. Daisy, the first woman in India to raise her voice for free distribution of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) said, “We were talking about how our children needed to be taken care of. Today, those children are adults waiting to be married, and have a different set of problems, but there is no law yet.”
( Source : dc )
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