Tanahun, February 3 :

Six HIV/AIDS infected persons have died within a week in Tanahun district, chairperson of the Tanahun Support Group (TSG) Tara Devi Thapa, who had come to attend an orientation programme organised by the Community Development Centre in Damauli told journalists yesterday. Those dead were from Kotdarbar, Bandipur, Baidi VDCs and Byas municipality-11.

“Six HIV/AIDS patients — three in the age group of 30 to 46 years died in Western Regional Hospital in Pokhara; one died in a hospital in Teku, Kathmandu and one died at home,” Thapa said, adding, “Six persons are suffering from HIV/AIDS in Shivapur VDC alone.”

Families of many of those who had gone to abroad in search of jobs are suffering from HIV/AIDS, the TSG said, adding that 260 HIV infected persons in the district are taking medicines regularly.

TSG said, “Wives and children of the HIV-infected men are also at risk.” TSG said one woman was forced to leave her house as villagers insulted her after her husband died of HIV/AIDS.

Some 25 HIV-infected from Kahu Shivapur, Bandipur, Phirphire and Byas municipality formed the TSG at the initiative of the Tanahun unit of the Nepal Red Cross Society. The Committee Support Group (Pokhara) is also helping TSG.

“HIV/AIDS infected are involved in the orientation to inform youths of the risks of and remedies for HIV/AIDS,” Krishnahari Wagle of Tanahun NRCS said.

“Two AIDS infected persons who returned home from their jobs in India died last year,” doctor at Damauli hospital Kedar Prasad Senchuri said, adding, “They died while taking medicine at their respective homes.”