Counselling Counsellors
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070810/ttlife1.htm#7
Saurabh Malik
Grave facts about HIV/AIDS have surfaced in a study carried out on 58 victims of the dreaded disease and the healthcare providers in Chandigarh and Punjab. It may be fatal to the claims of ‘good work’ made by so many government and non-government agencies, but the fact remains that even HIV/AIDS counsellors need counselling. Legal aid Right fellows! City-based researcher, Dr Upneet Lalli, and renowned physician Dr A. Jolly, have found out that half the number of healthcare providers talked to are simply unwilling to reveal their HIV status.
And the reason behind the phenomenon is not really hard to analyse. Though they are required to counsel HIV/AIDS victims, they themselves are tightlipped because of the stigma attached to the whole thing. “All this goes a long way to indicate that even the therapists need counselling in the matter right from day one,” says Dr Lalli.
Guys, Dr Lalli knows what she is talking about. For, this is not the first time she has carried out a detailed and a systematic study on issues related to human existence. Only recently Dr Lalli — also working as the Institute of Correctional Administration ‘s deputy director — submitted a report to the Punjab State Human Rights Commission on custodial deaths.
Her current study on the HIV/AIDS issue has already been discussed at the UN-AIDS forum. And the questionnaire used by them to reach the conclusions is being adopted by the Cameroon government. Just in case you do not know, The Republic of Cameroon is a unitary republic of central and western Africa and borders Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast. As she speaks at the release of a book on the subject Thursday afternoon, you realise that the young researcher has strived hard to understand the human dimension of the dreaded disease.
Giving details of the findings, she adds: “You may find it incredible, but people living with HIV still have complains of discrimination not just against the society, but particularly against the medical staff. No wonder, the fear of death is not the only factor weighing on their mind. Rejection and dependency too are predominant.”
And then, there is the pressing need for coming up with counselling services for the families of HIV affected. “Their emotional problems include deprivation and denial,” she says. Dr Lalli strongly agrees with the respondents when they say HIV testing should be mandatory for marriage purposes. Well guys, it makes a lot of sense! .
* Human Rights Law Network’s book, released in the city Thursday afternoon, provides free legal aid to HIV/AIDS victims. The two-volume book, HIV/AIDS and The Law, has been brought out by the Network in collaboration with The Love Life Society and Delhi Network of Positive People.
* It has been edited by advisor to HRLN Laya Medhini, senior lawyer Colin Gonsalves and his associate Dipika. The book deals with issues like gender vulnerability, employment and medical discrimination along with access to treatment.
* Each chapter contains explanatory text and case summaries with full reports on Indian and international cases. The book in English is expected to be soon published in Hindi and other six regional languages, including Tamil and Telugu.
Thursday, 9 August 2007
Punjab: School strikes off HIV+ student's name from rolls
Punjab: School strikes off HIV+ student's name from rolls
Dharmendra Rataul. Monday, July 30, 2007
http://www.indianex press.com/ story/207582. html
JULY 29: Seven-year-old Sarbjit Kaur is oblivious to the fact that she is HIV positive. The class II student is unaware what the future has in store for her, especially after the local Government high school struck off her name from the rolls. The school-leaving certificate, however, cites no reasons.Sarbjit's parents died of AIDS three years ago. She is being brought up by her aunt Kaushalya, who has three children of her own. "One day, her schoolteacher summoned me and inquired if Sarbjit was HIV positive. I said she was. The teacher then said that Sarbjit has a wound near her eye, which has shown no signs of healing. The other children in school might get infected and so Sarbjit should not be sent to school. What could I do, I stopped sending her and they sent home her school-leaving certificate, " said Kaushalya. Sarbjit is a good student, said her cousin Kulwinder Kaur, also in the same school. "Everyone in the school feared her. They knew that her parents had died due to AIDS and she is carrying the virus. There was panic when she got that cut on her face," she said. She told her classmates and teachers that the virus does not spread by shaking hands with or sitting beside the infected person, but no one paid any heed. Her aunt said that she never discriminated Sarbjit from her children. "I have two daughters and a son and they sleep together, play together and eat together. I am not worried. I do not know why the school is over anxious to throw her out," she said. When asked if she had filed any complaint, she said she was illiterate and did not know whom to lodge a complaint with. "We are helpless," she added. "I am studying at home now. My cousins teach me and I am learning ABC," Sarbjit said. The school-leaving certificate, dated July 3, 2007 (a copy available with The Indian Express), bears signatures of the school headmistress Sawinder Kaur. The principal said everyone in school was aware that the girl child was infected with HIV, but it was her injury that was causing panic. She, however, added that they struck off her name following a request from her guardians. The school authorities were not happy that she was not attending classes and wanted to help her, but the child's aunt was not willing to send her to school, the principal said. When asked if Sarbjit's guardians had given any written request to strike off her name, she said she would have to check the records.
Dharmendra Rataul. Monday, July 30, 2007
http://www.indianex press.com/ story/207582. html
JULY 29: Seven-year-old Sarbjit Kaur is oblivious to the fact that she is HIV positive. The class II student is unaware what the future has in store for her, especially after the local Government high school struck off her name from the rolls. The school-leaving certificate, however, cites no reasons.Sarbjit's parents died of AIDS three years ago. She is being brought up by her aunt Kaushalya, who has three children of her own. "One day, her schoolteacher summoned me and inquired if Sarbjit was HIV positive. I said she was. The teacher then said that Sarbjit has a wound near her eye, which has shown no signs of healing. The other children in school might get infected and so Sarbjit should not be sent to school. What could I do, I stopped sending her and they sent home her school-leaving certificate, " said Kaushalya. Sarbjit is a good student, said her cousin Kulwinder Kaur, also in the same school. "Everyone in the school feared her. They knew that her parents had died due to AIDS and she is carrying the virus. There was panic when she got that cut on her face," she said. She told her classmates and teachers that the virus does not spread by shaking hands with or sitting beside the infected person, but no one paid any heed. Her aunt said that she never discriminated Sarbjit from her children. "I have two daughters and a son and they sleep together, play together and eat together. I am not worried. I do not know why the school is over anxious to throw her out," she said. When asked if she had filed any complaint, she said she was illiterate and did not know whom to lodge a complaint with. "We are helpless," she added. "I am studying at home now. My cousins teach me and I am learning ABC," Sarbjit said. The school-leaving certificate, dated July 3, 2007 (a copy available with The Indian Express), bears signatures of the school headmistress Sawinder Kaur. The principal said everyone in school was aware that the girl child was infected with HIV, but it was her injury that was causing panic. She, however, added that they struck off her name following a request from her guardians. The school authorities were not happy that she was not attending classes and wanted to help her, but the child's aunt was not willing to send her to school, the principal said. When asked if Sarbjit's guardians had given any written request to strike off her name, she said she would have to check the records.
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