Okup demands inclusion of Aids patients under social safety net

Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Program (OKUP) pressed home 11-point demands for the people living with HIV (PLHIV) including bringing them under social safety, providing easy loans and making medicines and other treatments readily available without any discrimination.  

Hafziuddani Munna, general secretary of the National PILHIV Network, raised 11- point demands on behalf of the people affected by HIV/AIDS and at risk on Saturday at a media advocacy roundtable meeting jointly organised by the community forum of Bangladesh and Bangladesh Health Reporter's Forum (BHRF) at Zaheed Hasan Auditorium of Bishwa Sahitya Kendra in the city.

The discussion was organised to celebrate the Violence Against Women Day, World AIDS Day and International Human Rights Day as part of the Sixteen Days of Activism from November 25 to December 10 in Bangladesh.

Other demands include– determining the correct number of PLHIV population to bring every Aids patient under treatment, arranging for employment of the AIDS patients, more responsible behavior among stakeholders, avoiding any form of harassment or discriminatory behavior towards PLHIV; arrange for circular and suitable infrastructure, arrange counseling for newly infected persons, etc.

Zahid Anwar, deputy director Wage Earner Welfare Board, Ministry of Expatriate Welfare said that the government has already taken various protective measures for expatriates. He also requested the ministry to convey in writing the demand for inclusion of HIV-infected migrants in health insurance.

Saima Khan, country director, UNAIDS, Bangladesh, noted that countries in the Middle East and Africa have high rates of HIV infection. Many people from Bangladesh go to Middle East and African countries for work every year posing high risk.