| It seems to be a fight against destiny, a hope | | | | and did what ever he advised. The glitter in Naveen's |
| against hope and an effort which would defy any | | | | eye is enough to explain the efforts, which he must |
| medical argument that its generally not possible for | | | | have undertaken to ensure that both the child and |
| an HIV infected couple to enjoy parenthood of a | | | | mother remain healthy. Problem mounted in the |
| HIV negative child. On the eve of the World AIDS | | | | eighth month of his wife's pregnancy when doctors |
| Day (December 1), Headlines India did come across | | | | at AIIMS, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital as well as |
| one such unfortunate HIV positive couple, which is | | | | Ram Manohar Lohia refused to entertain his wife. |
| fortunate enough to have progeny - a seven years | | | | Private hospitals were charging around a lakh of |
| old sweet daughter, who is HIV negative. Naveen | | | | rupees for delivery. “Our last hope was Manipur |
| Kumar and his wife has been living with the virus for | | | | and we find ourselves fortunate enough that we got |
| the past 8 years, but to everyone's surprise their | | | | such a doctor who assured safe delivery. I was |
| daughter does not carry the deadly virus. Their | | | | ready with the right dosage of medicine for the |
| daughter might be fortunate enough to overcome | | | | infant to protect her(child) against the dreaded |
| the limitations of her parents, but ironically it has | | | | virus”, he states. |
| never been easy for her to fight the social apathy, | | | | Naveen, a founder member of the 'Delhi Network of |
| such minorities of the society are destined to face. | | | | Positive People' and a marketing executive with |
| Delhi School refuse to admit Naveen's daughter- Anjali | | | | Sahara, an NGO, is too busy in his work these days. |
| (name changed), just because her parents were HIV | | | | He works extra time to meet the medical needs of |
| positive. | | | | his wife and to secure better future for his daughter. |
| Naveen,38 and a marketing executive of an NGO, is | | | | His wife is in a critical condition. She is on second line |
| not afraid to admit that he is HIV positive. But things | | | | of treatment. But all these adversities do not deter |
| have never been easy for him too. “Those days | | | | the couple from leading a life which is exemplary and |
| the discrimination was at its peak. The only term was | | | | worth emulating by a general mortal. There are very |
| AIDS, irrespective of whether one has been tested | | | | few people who are so 'positive' about life. |
| HIV positive or AIDS,” Naveen says, while | | | | “Death for us is a fact of life, which others |
| sharing his memory of horrific early days when he | | | | perhaps are afraid of. I take extra care of myself. In |
| was detected carrying the disease . His infection falls | | | | the past seven years, I have not undergone any |
| into exceptional category, wherein a husband caught | | | | medication. My CD4 cell count is normal (670). |
| up with the disease through his wife. "No, not for a | | | | Doctors say that I need no medication for next |
| moment. Ours was love marriage, which is based on | | | | seven years, I want to live because my daughter |
| trust and nothing else," comes prompt reply, when | | | | needs me, I want to see her grow”, says |
| asked whether he did doubt his wife even for a | | | | Naveen with a sense of confidence which can move |
| moment. His wife,a Manipuri had to be administered | | | | mountains. |
| blood for a medical problem. As, there was no blood | | | | It has been 20 years, since the virus was first |
| bank, she took blood from a man who was in the | | | | detected in the country, so called gigantic efforts are |
| window period of HIV. The virus entered her body | | | | going on at national and international level to curb the |
| through the blood stream. | | | | virus, and at the same time make people aware of it. |
| The memory still haunts him as he continues to | | | | Questioning the massive awareness campaign, |
| elaborate about the inauspicious day of 1999, when | | | | Naveen says, “ What have we achieved in terms |
| during a routine check of pregnancy, his wife was | | | | of awareness. 70 per cent of the total fund is used |
| reported HIV+ve. "I was totally shocked, my feet | | | | for the purpose. If a person like me living in the |
| were trembling and the documents fell down from | | | | Capital of the country is facing so much discrimination |
| my hands, I just could not believe. I thought I could | | | | for being HIV+ve, what kind of awareness are we |
| hide the report for sometime, but she could sense | | | | talking about.” |
| there is something wrong. When I told her, she just | | | | The most important weapon against this deadly |
| could not take it. She locked her self in the bathroom | | | | disease as posed by the awareness campaigns, is |
| for 9 hours and kept crying. We stopped talking to | | | | use of condom. “Many, rather I should say that |
| each other for many days, but later on we accepted | | | | most of Indians do not know how to wear it |
| it as our destiny." | | | | properly. They use nails to wear it, without pondering |
| Naveen's elder brother, who at that time was the | | | | on it that it might puncture it. There is a proper |
| head of the family, asked him to leave home | | | | procedure , which people must be made aware of, |
| immediately. His parents kept mum. At present, he is | | | | ” advices Naveen. |
| facing some property issue with his brother. | | | | Denying the new report released by NACO (National |
| “Even then I was not bothered. I just walked | | | | AIDS Control Organisation), published in July 2007, as |
| out. I didn't even care before moving out that I had | | | | per which the number of HIV / AIDS cases in India |
| my wife with me too, to take care of,” Naveen | | | | currently stands at 2.5 million, less than half of 5.7 |
| recalls the tough decision he had to take in adverse | | | | million cases as estimated earlier, he says, “ The |
| conditions. The immediate concern for him was the | | | | government does not want to create panic. That's |
| unborn child, but to his dismay, he was turned down | | | | all." Naveen is not at all happy with the approach and |
| by the medical fraternity numerous times, denying to | | | | policies of the government as well as NGO's- whom |
| treat his wife. “When I consulted gynaecologists | | | | he calls as hypocrites. |
| at the so called premier medical institute of the | | | | Nevertheless, he is still hopeful that the government |
| country, AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical | | | | comes out with 'second line of treatment', which |
| Sciences), they called the unborn child, as a ' loath of | | | | includes treatment with around 18 drugs. This mode |
| meat' and advised me to dump it," says Naveen | | | | of medication costs around Rs 8000 a month. Last, |
| tearfully. | | | | but not the least, he urges the authorities to give |
| But, all these adversities did not bog down the | | | | special attention to the HIV+ children, widows, elders |
| couple. They consulted one of the best HIV | | | | because according to him , and quite rightly so, these |
| specialists in Delhi. Both took his prescription seriously | | | | are the most vulnerable section of the society. |