by Sumon Corraya

1. 5% of the community is HIV-positive. Patients also face social discrimination and exclusion. The problem of lack of funds.

Dhaka (AsiaNews) - The Catholic Church in Bangladesh is worried about the increased incidence of HIV / AIDS in the community. The warning was launched by Dr. Edward Pallab Rozario, health coordinator of Caritas, during a seminar held in Dhaka, in the headquarters of Caritas May 23 to 25. The meeting was also attended by 28 HIV-positive patients, with their families. There was discussion of social exclusion resulting from this disease and how to deal with it.

According to data reported by Rozario, who is also secretary for the Health Committee at the Bishops' Conference of Bangladesh, 1.5% of Catholics is HIV-positive. The doctor explained that, in part, the problem is related to those who go abroad to work and come back infected, but hide it. On the other hand the lack of knowledge of the disease among people contributes to the increase of its spread.

Caritas is committed to the fight against AIDS, but constantly lacks funds for the project. "We want to work in this direction - admitted the doctor - but we lack donations. If someone could help us, that would be great."

Caritas provides medicines and financial and moral support to people with AIDS and their families. They are subjected to social discrimination, because an HIV-positive  person is not accepted. Thus, these patients also have to deal with unemployment, the fact that their children are not allowed to go to school, or are not treated like the others.

"The teachers did not want to enroll my son in school, but Caritas convinced them to accept him and now he attends classes regularly," said one of the participants in the seminar, Momota Cruze. More than a hundred HIV-positive people and their respective families suffer the same drama. "I lost my job when my boss heard that I was HIV positive," said Rupa Corraya. The woman acknowledged that Caritas has done a great deal for all of them and on raising awareness in society, through various activities and workshops for young people.

According to last year's data, out of an estimated 160 million inhabitants in Bangladesh there are 2,871 cases of HIV / AIDS, even though unofficial numbers speak of a figure closer to 7 thousand.

 

• bangladesh
• caritas
• hiv/aids
• patients
• discrimination
• catholic
• church
• aid