Emergency fund established for HIV-infected

BAJURA: An emergency fund has been established to support the HIV-infected people at Barhabisa VDC in Bajura.

Secretary Keshab Puri of the VDC said the fund was jointly established by the VDC office, local political parties and Food-first Information and Action Network (FIAN), Nepal.

“The emergency fund aims to help the HIV-infected for their treatment, food and nutrition as well as security,” he added. He further informed that the VDC was the most HIV affected VDC in the district. It is said that as many as 32 people there are HIV-infected.

President of Nepali Congress Village Unit Purna Chandra Jaisi said they have started a campaign to save the amount for the HIV-infected people as an emergency fund. VDC sources said that staffers at different offices, businessmen, among others, could save the amount in the relief fund. In-charge Kul Rawal, of Barhabisa Health Post said that their small help would be a big support to the sufferers.

It is said that more than Rs 31,000 has already been collected within one month.

One of the HIV-infected, Mina BK, said they felt a great relief after the establishment of the fund. They said that they have to spend more than Rs 15,000 for Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) though the medicine is provided by the government free of cost. The amount will be spent as per the suggestion of the VDC, political parties and infected people.

Meanwhile, District Health Office, Bajura said that among 70 HIV-infected people in the district, 31 are receiving antiretroviral medicine.