Not the end of the road for HIV patients

An inspiring story was recently published on India HIV/AIDS Alliance blog, about an HIV patient who has dealt with the condition and not allowed the disease to dominate his life.

HIV has destroyed the lives of a large number of people. Men have lost their jobs, women have been ostracized and children have been abandoned. Today, however, there has been a change, though subtle, in the recent years in people's approach to the disease. Yet finally, it remains a fight of the affected person, who can lead a normal life if he/she does not give up. One person who did not give up is today working for other people with HIV. Diagnosed in 1997, he was devastated by the diagnosis. To add to his woes, medications were available at an exorbitant cost. However over the years, he started working with other HIV patients and started looking at life more positively. With the government announcing free anti HIV-medications in 2003, things looked even positive for him, and now he has completed 21years with the disease and is still going strong.
 

 Though it may be easy to say, being diagnosed with HIV should not be considered the end of the road. First of all, treatment is more easily available and free in India. It is therefore possible to lead a normal life to a large extent. The disease does not just spread by touch; thus you do not need feel guilty that you will pass on the condition to your friends and family.

When HIV appeared, there was a general fear of the disease. But the united fight by patients, the healthcare, the government and non-government organizations, has reduced the impact of the disease and helped patients to form a part of the mainstream of life.