Agartala: The Tripura government has planned to adopt social support model for AIDS and HIV positive patients in Rajasthan and Delhi, said Health and Family Welfare Minister Tapan Chakraborty here on Tuesday.
Referring to recent deaths of AIDS infected couple in Dharmanagar of North Tripura due to social isolation, he attributed that HIV and AIDS created social and family isolation for the infected persons ultimately leading them to commit suicide.
“We are examining the model of Rajasthan and Delhi to deal with the HIV/AIDS infected people where social security and financial support to the victim can prove extremely helpful especially for instilling a sense of attachment and possession to the survivors,” Chakraborty said.
He confirmed Tripura has about 11,055 HIV positive patients and altogether 438 of them are confirmed AIDS while 127 cases of death in past 14 years due to the dreaded disease had been recorded so far.
Chakraborty pointed out that the risk of transmission of the disease had increased manifolds even in the small state like Tripura because of increase of the interstate movement of people including migrant workers and paramilitary forces. He urged all the stakeholders to revolt against social stigma and discrimination against HIV/AIDS infected people taking the instance of the HIV positive couple of Tripura who had consumed poison together to get rid of social humiliation in October last year.
“It is really painful that the in-laws of the couple had decided to oust them from the village apprehending further spread of the disease if they continued to stay in the locality”, Mr Chakraborty recalled adding they were diagnosed HIV positive about three years ago during blood test when she was five months pregnant but they were happy with the treatment and support of Tripura AIDS Control Society; they were in need of only a positive mindset from their families. (UNI)