28 February 2008: in a Red Ribbon Club Meeting held in Mahamayi Womens College, Berhampur Dr. Ramesh Chandra Chyau Patnaik, MLA Berhampur in his key note address stated, “People with AIDS should be segregated and should not be allowed to mix with ordinary people, as that will spread AIDS (Dr. Chyau Patnaik is a MBBS). The Principal of the College, Kalicharan Panda in his speech said, “why should State pay expenses of the people with AIDS for the mistakes they commit”.
11 February 2009: In Berhampur University a sensitization workshop on HIV and Migration was held, this was organized by Central Board for Workers Education. The Vice Chancellor of Berhampur, Dr. Bijoy Kumar Sahoo in his key note address spoke briefly about HIV&AIDS and said,” HIV is dangerous and so contagious that it can spread through touch”. He further stated,” A few African people killed a monkey and ate the meat of the monkey resulting in spread of this virulent disease.
In the same meeting Dr. Trinath Behera, the MLA of Gopalpur and retired Chief District Medical Officer said the following, “if you go and shave in saloon, or have a haircut then you will get AIDS, he further said, ‘Prostitutes have been given certificate that they are not infected with AIDS’, and further said, ‘when you visit them ask them for their certificate, once you have verified then proceed’.
In another meeting of the Red Ribbon Club held at Sasana High School retired CDMO, currently working as contractual Medical Officer in Jagdalpur was invited as Chief Speaker said, “people say that AIDS cannot be spread through mosquito, but I don’t believe it, AIDS is spread through mosquito”.
In PPTCT training facilitated by Aruna and supported by Aruna and OSACS, Doctors argued that AIDS can be spread through mosquito bites.
Chandrasekhar Sahoo, MP, Berhampur has in several meetings said, People with AIDS get it because of sins and mistakes they have committed.
In the ART Centres 2 Kg cereals are being provided to PLHIV&AIDS on the packet it has been stamped, it is only for people living with HIV&AIDS. When PLHIVs in Berhampur reacted they were asked to give it back or shut up.
Don’t these incidents say something about Orissa and the HIV&AIDS programme in Orissa.
Do we still feel that enough is being done to prevent HIV&AIDS in Orissa.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
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2 comments:
hai sarita,
it was a shoking news for all of us, after working for so long time in prevention of HIV, still if the educated mass and the administrative level persons are not yet oriented.
i want to know how did you get this information what was the source, and is it authentic.
Afsana
Dear Afsana,
These are true and have been authenticated and cross checked with participants in each of these meetings. Members of the consortium ODISHA-One were a part of these meetings too.
I merely put together each of the incidence together. Infact a participant (Ms. Sanchita
Patnaik, District Resource Person, Link Workers Scheme, Ganjam) of one
of the meeting after reading our blog and note in AIDS India Forum has responded that she had attended one of the meeting and when she heard the honorable MLA make the shocking statement, she was shocked and speechless and did not know how to react to the statement.
it is sad we are still where we were twenty years back when the
disease was identified. We can only come out of this ignorance if there is a commitment, and will of all actors who have the resources and power todo so.
Sarita
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