Break HIV Stigma

When Health Minister Sakina Itoo flagged off two mobile HIV testing vans in Srinagar, it signaled an important step forward. But beneath this measure lies an unsavoury truth: HIV/AIDS in Kashmir is still wrapped in silence, fear, and deep-rooted stigma. And unless we confront that stigma head-on, no number of mobile vans will be enough.

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The numbers tell one story: just over 4,000 confirmed HIV-positive cases in the region, but health experts caution that the reality is likely far worse. This is because, many don’t visit health institutions for getting tested for fear of judgment, social exclusion, and even discrimination by medical staff. This silence is dangerous. People are being diagnosed late, when their immune systems have already deteriorated and are beyond treatment. What’s more. They are also threat to the society as they can infect their partners, and may be others also.