The Hindu : National : HIV positive women “denied access” to Nitish Kumar’s Janata Darbar

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Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007
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HIV positive women “denied access” to Nitish Kumar’s Janata Darbar

Staff Correspondent

PATNA: On a day when Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was addressing health-related problems in his Janata Darbar, HIV positive women were denied access.

Over two dozen women, seeking to meet Mr. Kumar for proper treatment, complained that police and officials shooed them away from the queue on learning that they were HIV positive. This incident occurred on Monday.

“We have been coming for three Mondays now hoping to convey to the Chief Minister our problems relating to social ostracism and government apathy in providing us necessary medical support,” they complained.

They charged that even on Monday they were pushed away by the police. “We don’t know if the police are behaving thus on orders from the government to keep us at bay.”

“If the government thinks we are untouchables how can we blame the ignorant masses for not mingling with us and shunning us.”

The Health Minister is said to have admitted that he was aware of the presence of HIV positive persons outside Mr. Kumar’s residence.

Without allowing them to meet the Chief Minister, officials were reportedly directed to have them admitted to the Patna Medical College Hospital.

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