JAGATSINGHPUR: While World AIDS Day is being observed on December 1 and crores of rupees are spent by the State government for awareness programmes, many poverty-stricken patients in the district are deprived of entitlements under various schemes. Hundreds of them are leading miserable lives while dealing with ostracism and social stigma attached to the disease.
Many HIV infected people in the district are living in thatched houses or polythene tents in isolated places due to ostracism. As per reports, out of 350 AIDS affected people in the district, only 11 have received housing facilities under Mo Kudia scheme. Similarly, 244 patients have received old age pension under Madhu Babu Yojana while the rest have been denied.
Recounting her experience, an HIV infected widow Sabita Dei (name changed) of Banasa village in Naugaon said she has been living in a thatched house alone for 15 years after her husband (also an HIV patient) passed away.
"I have no money to even repair the house despite leakage during rains. I often have to sleep on verandahs of others. I have to walk 2 km to attend nature’s call as I don’t have toilet facility and a km to bring water from the public tube well," she said.
Four months back, an NGO agreed to facilitate installing a toilet at her place under Swachh Bharat Mission but she was asked to pay Rs 12,000. However, after dumping construction material, nothing has been done so far. Sabita has also been deprived of housing benefits and supply of piped water.
"I am surviving on Rs 500 old age pension and 5 kg rice a month. I wanted to live peacefully but I failed to even construct a toilet," she said. There are many like Sabita who have been deprived of basic facilities though there are schemes to help the AIDS affected.
Naugaon sarpanch Santosh Kumar Das has admitted that Sabita has indeed been living in a pathetic condition. "The woman’s husband had received Rs 2,000 under Mo Kudia scheme 18 years back but failed to construct a house due to shortage of money," he said.
Medical officer of Integrated Counseling and Testing Centre (ICTC) Subhada Priyadarshini Parida said the administration will work to ensure that affected patients get their entitlements without hassles. She also informed that the Health department will be starting an Information, Education and Communication Van for awareness on World AIDS Day on Tuesday.