Do not neglect HIV/AIDS patients, says judge

Communities should not neglect HIV/AIDS patients. Instead, they should instil confidence in them to lead a dignified life, said Principal District and Sessions Judge Kadluru Satyanarayanacharya on Friday.

He was speaking after inaugurating the World AIDS Day 2019 programme organised under the theme ‘Community-led responses matter’ by the district administration and the health department at Fr Muller Medical College Auditorium.

The judge recollected that until a few years ago, entire family members of HIV infected patients were shunned by the public.

“One needs to distance themselves from unethical lifestyle and not from HIV infected people. HIV/AIDS patients need love and care. The patients should be able to come out of their inferiority complex, self-pity and send a strong message to the society that they too can lead lives like everyone else,” he said.

District Government Wenlock Hospital Blood Bank medical officer Dr Sharath said that lack of awareness forced people to treat HIV/AIDS as an epidemic. Owing to widespread awareness, the percentage of HIV had come down drastically making the country slip out of the red zone.

He said the blood donated to the blood bank by volunteer donors undergoes rigorous tests.

Father Muller Charitable Institution director Dr Richard Aloysius Coelho while presiding over the programme said that individuals should protect themselves and others from conditions like AIDS.

Morality is very essential in this regard, he stressed.

Delivering a special talk on the occasion, senior resident medical officer of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, Fr Muller Hospital, Dr Abhilash V, said that there were 21.17 lakh HIV infected people in 2018. The World Health Organisation’s target is to achieve 90-90-90.

“This means that 90% of HIV infected should know their status, 90% of the infected should avail treatment and 90% of the infected should witness viral suppression,” he elaborated.

Principal Civil Judge A G Gangadhar symbolically expressed appreciation to the organisations that are working for the welfare of HIV/AIDS affected persons.

An oath on protecting themselves and others from HIV/AIDS and to protect the dignity of HIV/AIDS infected was taken on the occasion.

A Yakshagana play performed by the artistes of Shambulingeshwara Yakshagana Mandali, Sirsi, towards creating awareness on HIV/AIDS was lauded by the audience.

Fr Muller Medical College and Hospital managing director Rudolf Ravi D’Sa, Fr Muller College managing director Fr Ajith Menezes and district health officer Dr Ramakrishna Rao were present.

A rally was taken out from Shanti Nilaya Grounds in Balmatta to Fr Muller Hospital, Kankanady, prior to the start of the programme.