Joining the Fight to Conquer the Stigma by Eleanor Tyrrell

During my time at Deep Griha I have been involved in a small research project involving the collection of data to produce a teaching package for health care professionals in Tadiwala Road. Part of the research involved interviewing people living with HIV who come to DISHA for their treatment.

After interviewing a few clients with the aid of a translater I saw more and more on one hand that people living with HIV are just like other people going about their normal daily lives. However, on the other they are not because most of them have been made outcasts among their community, family and friends. In today’s society it is so upsetting and shocking to think that these people are still being discriminated against. This stigma and discrimination comes from the lack of HIV education in the community. With DISHA projects and the current Wake Up Pune campaign these community attitudes can be changed.