“Not the End of the World”: People Living With HIV/AIDS Speak Up

It’s important to talk about HIV/AIDS, to provide a support structure to end the stigma around the disease.

People living with HIV/AIDS say it’s “not the end of the world”. (Photo: iStock)

To laud the efforts of the medical fraternity which is trying to find a cure for HIV AIDS, 18 May is celebrated annually as AIDS Vaccine Awareness Day. Currently, India has 21 lakh people who are living with HIV/AIDS.

Vaccine for Polio took around 50 years, for Typhoid it took over 100 years. We have been in search for a vaccine for HIV for over 30 years. Yes, we’ve made progress. We have covered a lot of the path, but yes, the final goal is yet to be achieved.

Dr Nikhil Singla, Associate Director, Vaccine Research and Director, from the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative

Gautam Yadav found out he had AIDS 8 years ago, when he was 26 years old. From taking 9 months to sit for the test to being able to actively talk about it, he has come a long way.

Mona Balani, also living with HIV, works at the India HIV/Aids Alliance. She has worked in this field for 15 years and says she continues to face judgement and stigma from her peers in society.

Here we talk about the importance of research to find a cure for AIDS and the social coping mechanisms of AIDS sufferers.