ITPC Support Global Week of Action Event in Nepal

From the first day of a Nepali year a group of AIDS activist kept a
close eye on the National infectious disease control hospital in Kathmandu. They carefully monitored the number of people living with HIV/AIDS who were admitted to the hospital who died. Shockingly 20 people died in 20 days.
These deaths could have been regarded as normal even if it had happened 5 years back. However in an era of advanced ARV treatment this is not acceptable. These deaths are mere indicators of how far we are from Universal Access and how little the national governments are doing to reach those targets. Ironically these deaths happened in the same hospital that also provides Antiretroviral treatment that prolongs the lives of people living with AIDS to over 375 people. However due to negligence and negative attitude of the administration and health care staff 20 people lost their lives and death count continues.
An advocacy task force was formed to address the issues around lack of health care services for people living with HIV/AIDS convened by the National Association of people living with HIV/AIDS in Nepal and supported by over 150 community groups across the country.
The task force held series of meetings with the directors of Teku Hospital, National Center for AIDS, Department of health services. The meetings were also attended by representatives of World Health Organization, lawyers network and media. The Task force also organized a protest in the ministry of health on 20th of December and presented its demands to then Minister of Health and Population. The minister of Health sent a letter to the director general to take necessary action. However no actions were taken.
From 14th of April the task force organized a peaceful protest in front of Teku hospital for 20 days. Still no actions were taken. To create additional pressure to take action the Advocacy task force is organizing a protest in the Health Department premises since 2nd May 2007.
The demands of the Task force are:

• Improve treatment and care services for people living with AIDS in all regional hospital including CD4, Viral Load, social services unit and trained medical staff
• Reorganize the National AIDS program with broader participation of all stakeholders to ensure stronger and successful response through institutional reform
• Provide livelihood opportunities to support people living with AIDS

Please send your support to our struggle by sending an email directly to the following people and express your concern, support and solidarity.
mathew.kahane@undp.org
s-clapham@dfid.gov.uk
sgopalan@worldbank.org
ncasc@mos.com.np
apeniston@usaid.gov
rmsingh@wlink.com.np
kantun@who.org.np
narmada.acharya@undp.org
rmsingh@wlink.com.np
Best Regards
Rajiv Kafle
President
National Association of People living with HIV/AIDS in Nepal
http://www.napn.org.np/