Kathmandu, December 18:

The Advocacy Task Force (ATF) today gave the government a two-day ultimatum to meet its demands.

Submitting a memorandum to deputy prime minister and health minister Amik Sherchan, the ATF warned that it will lock out offices entitled to meet its demands if the demands were not met.

The ATF comprises representatives of organisations working for the welfare of the people living with HIV/AIDs (PLWHA). Among other things, the ATF has been demanding that at least a doctor be stationed in the Sukraraj Tropical and Disease Control Hospital, Teku, round the clock and seven days a week to treat people living with HIV/AIDS.

Their other demands include provision of 25 beds exclusively for the PLWHA, the establishment of an HIV unit in the hospital, a separate, well-facilitated office for the outreach worker and volunteers involved in the treatment, care and support of the PLWHA.

The ATF also demanded that the Teku hospital be supplied with enough medicines and equipment to treat the PLWHA. “If the demands are not met, we will lock out the office of the director of the Teku hospital and National Centre for AIDS and STD Control and National Laboratory on December 20, gherao the Health Ministry on December 24, organise a hunger strike from December 26 and take the government to court,” the ATF stated. Sherchan promised to meet ATF’s demands. He said the Health Ministry would call a meeting with the parties concerned on December 20 to solve the problem.

Shibu Giri, the ATF adviser, accused the government of not keeping promises made to the ATF. “