BENGALURU: When her husband died in 2004, 27-year-old Parveen Ahmed did not grieve his passing away. The mother of two infant daughters, aged six months and 18 months then, she stared at an unknown future and a life with "AIDS ki bimari" that her late husband had left her with, before he succumbed to the deadly virus. Sixteen years on, Parveen has not only been battling the stigma of HIV/AIDS, she has also been running from pillar to post in search of livelihood, treatment for her secondary ailments and above all, a life of dignity for herself, her daughters and her mother, who was abandoned by her husband when she was pregnant with Parveen.
The New Indian Express spoke to Parveen on the occasion of World AIDS Day. "The government is spending so much on Covid management, from delivering dry ration kits to lakhs of people at their doorstep, to free treatment in government and designated hospitals. But there is no mention or public awareness on how Covid-19 has impacted the lives of People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHAs). They are at greater risk than others because of poor immunity, and the stigma of being HIV-positive is an added burden. Hospitals are still reluctant to admit an HIV-positive patient because of stigma," said Parveen.
"For PLHAs, only antiretroviral therapy (ART) drugs are given free. We have to bear the cost of diagnostic tests and treatment for secondary ailments, which cost a lot of money," said Parveen.She lives in Davanagere and works with a non-profit organisation.
In 2004, when she tested positive for HIV, she didn't know what it was. "People used to call it AIDS ki bimari (AIDS-related ailment). I was very angry with my husband, who died within three months of being diagnosed with HIV. We moved places to live in anonymity. I didn't want the stigma to haunt my mother and daughters," said Parveen.
In 2012, she was put on ART, for which she had to travel from Davanagere to Bowring Hospital in Bengaluru, which was then the only ART centre in Karnataka. In 2016, Parveen developed a kidney issue and went to Mangaluru for treatment. "The doctor spoke in English and mentioned the word stigma. He was reluctant to admit me. I went to another government hospital and they told me to go back to the Davanagere hospital, where they said I would get the same facilities.
I had to come to Bengaluru and was admitted at Victoria Hospital for 27 days. My elder daughter took care of me even as I was given blood transfusion twice," Parveen narrated. She is much better now, but has to get her tests done periodically.
Living with HIV and having to fend for two children and an aged mother has only made her stronger. "I don't bear my husband's name in my government documents and identity cards. I carry my father's name," she said.Parveen has worked with non-profit organisations, including Bengaluru-based rights organization 'Sangama', and helped spread awareness on HIV/AIDS. She has also completed her graduation. "I will make sure that my daughters study and do well for themselves," said the resolute mother.