This BBC story impresses the [him] moderator for a couple of issues it raises. It is stated that antiretroviral therapy costs 50,000 kyat a month. He hopes this is triple therapy. But the price is about double what it could be with generic medication. And bumping into someone you know at a support group means that you are both in the same situation.
HIV patients find their strength in new community
BBC Burmese Service
9 February 2006 - Published 20:26 GMT
Military rule may be too tenacious to allow public gathering and the development of civil societies in Burma. But HIV patients there have found a way to console each other by arranging a regular meeting in Rangoon.
The informal gathering took off with a handful of patients.
Through word of mouth the membership gradually increased and within a few months it now stands at 752 patients.
‘Majority of our members are women, with some children also attending our meeting’, one of the founders, told the BBC.
Overcoming shyness
The members initially do not disclose their personal details for fear of any potential prejudices within the community.
‘When we first came, what we were more concerned about is the possibility of bumping into someone we knew’, a member said.
Even today, the community was still unaware that such once-a-month gathering is taking place in their neighbourhood.
Some of them found their families understanding their situations and share their sympathies with them, but there are less fortunate patients who were abandoned by their families.
Increasing expenses
The patients are given help by local NGOs but it’s becoming more and more difficult to cope with the increasing medical expenses.
It now costs a single patient Ks 50,000 a month, ten times more than official average salary, for ARV treatment.
Their difficulties may have been exacerbated by the stoppage of ARV imports from India as the country introduced new legislation last year banning the production of cheap generic anti-AIDS drugs.
But as a member, patients receive basic assistance in their visit to clinics. Counselling sessions are also arranged and useful advice about maintaining good health, keeping fit, dietary habits and getting inexpensive drugs is provided.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/burmese/highlights/story/2006/02/printable/060209_aidspatient.shtml
