“Mom, my dad lives at god’s abode, right?” a twelve-year-old child frequently asks Kamala Damai of Parshuram VDC in Dadeldhura district. Her daughter’s wistful question is not the only thing that reminds Kamala of her husband’s untimely demise. The local community also treats the widow in a different since the death of her husband. 

Some six years ago, Kamala’s husband had died of HIV/ AIDS. He was infected with HIV while he was employed in Mumbai, India. Following his death, the responsibility of taking care of her family has now fallen on her shoulder. 

“While my husband was alive, I used to get proper respect from the society,” said Kamala. “Since his death, however, everything has changed. My life has become complicated.”

Although Rama Damai, another local woman, of Parshuram VDC, has been taking medicine as per of HIV/AIDS treatment for the last six years, she has also been living in a miserable condition. 

“Locals, including our own even relatives, humiliate us. We constantly worry what would happen to our children when we are no more. People with HIV/AIDS are treated inhumanly,” Rama said with teary eyes. 

Likewise, HIV infected Kalwati Od, who is taking medicine against HIV, said that the medicine has made her weak and that she cannot walk or work anymore. 

“I have been taking the medicine for the last six years, but I am yet to recover,” said Dhaili Damai, 30, of Sirsha VDC. The HIV infected woman wishes that none could suffer from such infection. 

For Dhaili, the HIV patients find it difficult to visit the district headquarters or go to Kailali to fetch the medicines. Many of them stop taking medicine because of the hassle, according to her. 

Acknowledging the plight of the HIV infected, Prem Bahadur Mahar, president of Health Workers’ Association, said that the government authorities are yet to take any significant steps for addressing the problems faced by the AIDS patients. 

Even those infected persons who have been taking medicine face social stigma that affect their daily lives. The single women infected by HIV/AIDS are the most affected in the district, according to Ganesh Tiwari, an AIDS infected person. 

Due to financial problems as well as lack of awareness, many of the HIV infected persons have not been able to afford even preliminary investigations, Tiwari added. 


“Before I suffered from the HIV, everyone seemed to care about us. But after they learnt that we are HIV infected, they treat us like untouchables,” Dakki Damai, 35, of Nawadurga VDC-4. 

Some non-government organizations have extended their support to the HIV affected people, Dakki said. 

Although the government has provided free medicine for the HIV infected people, not all are in condition to take the benefit. In fact, the government has to do much more to safeguard their human rights and ensure their basic living standards, say the infected people. 

While HIV affected people need love and care more than others, that is what they get least; in many cases even close family members detest them, Kalu Kami, a widow, recollects her experience. She lost her husband to HIV infection. The woman, who herself suffers from the HIV, is now living an impoverished life. She constantly worries about the future of her six children. 

According to reports, a total of 163 persons have been identified as HIV-positive in Dadeldhura district. Among them are 12 children. The HIV/AIDS has already claimed 15 lives in the district, according to Durga Chatauta, coordinator for an HIV project implemented by Bahu-Udeshiya Bikash Samaj, a local NGO. 

Social activists in the district are not satisfied with the efforts the government authorities have made to ease the life of the infected. Dadeldhura does have District AIDS Coordination Committee; however, it is without a coordinator since a long time. 

Both government and non-government agencies have already spent over Rs 30 million in the district on different initiatives targeting the HIV infected. Sadly, such efforts have barely made any progress in improving the lives of the people with AIDS. 
Most of the activities run by non-government organizations for AIDS patients are limited to district headquarters and urban areas, the infected persons allege. 

Many children of the people living with HIV are deprived of basic education due to financial problems and social stigma. The lives of such children are further imperiled after the death of their parents. Besides enduring social stigma, managing care and daily bread for the children have become very difficult, according to the infected families. 

HIV/AIDS activists said that locals who migrate to India for employment are susceptible to AIDS infection as many of them visit brothels there. When they come back, they transfer the AIDS virus to their spouses and children. 

For the poor families who have a member living with HIV, spending money on treatment is a huge burden. They cannot provide education to their children and meet other basic needs of the family. 

Meanwhile, health workers argued that the society needs to cooperate with the HIV infected persons and help create an environment for them to live like other persons.

Published on: 2 March 2015 | Republica