World AIDS Day: HIV Prevention in India

Today is World AIDS Day, a day for individuals and organizations worldwide to bring attention to the global AIDS epidemic. The Order of Malta Worldwide Relief -- Malteser International Americas commemorates the 20th anniversary of this historic day with three new stories this week that describe how Malteser International promotes HIV prevention in the countries where we work. Today’s story focuses on our work in India with HIV prevention and against discrimination of people living with AIDS.

2.5 million in India people are infected with HIV, primarily in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Since the disease is most commonly contracted in India through heterosexual contact, an unusually high percentage of infected people here are women (38%).

One such woman, Helen Marie, only discovered she was HIV positive when her husband died of AIDS. She soon faced discrimination even from her family who was unwilling to associate with her.

Negative attitudes about HIV and AIDS in India are largely fueled by ignorance about the ways people can become infected. Discrimination often results in social isolation and economic hardship when people in their community sometimes become unwilling to hire them in their businesses, or forbid their children to play with the children of HIV infected neighbors.

The task of educating the public about the disease and fighting stigma is a large one. People like Pazhania Pillai, a local artist who has written over 80 songs about HIV/AIDS, have used their creativity to inform their community. Pillai remarks, "With my songs, I want to make sure that the healthy people show solidarity with the infected persons."

Malteser International works with the Center for Social Reconstruction (CSR), an Indian relief organization, in order to support AIDS victims and inform healthy people about the disease. CSR employees advise AIDS patients about their rights and conduct educational campaigns to fight stigma and discourage further infection.

There is a long way to go, but the efforts of CSR and passionate people like Pazhania Pillai are encouraging signs of progress.