Mumbai: Now, a lokpal to address issues of HIV/AIDS patients

People living with HIV and facing any issues such as discrimination will be able to approach the ombudsman

Mumbai recently got its first Lokpal (ombudsman) to act on the complaints of people living with HIV/Aids (PLHIV). An Executive Health Officer of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Dr Mangala Gomare, has been appointed to the post. The appointment of two more ombudsmen for the state is in process.

There are instances when people living with HIV/Aids face stigma, isolation, or harassment from family, society, or discrimination at the workplace or school. There are also cases in which they have faced discrimination in hospitals by doctors. To prevent the ill-treatment of AIDS patients and to protect and promote the rights of PLHIVs, on September 10, 2018, the central Government passed the HIV-AIDS Act 2017. In this, a proposal has been made to appoint ombudsmen in states to monitor AIDS victims of all districts and address their complaints.

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A BMC official said, "The Additional Municipal commissioner recently appointed a Lokpal. Now people living with HIV and facing discrimination can approach the Lokpal for justice." There are around 2.26 lakh HIV patients in Maharashtra out of which around 38,000 are in Mumbai.

Speaking to mid-day, Joint Director of the Maharashtra State Aids Control Society Sudeshna Chakravarty said, "There will be three ombudsmen to redress the grievances out of which BMC has appointed one for Mumbai. One will be from the department of Medical Education and research and the other will be from the Public Health Department. We are also developing a portal to address the grievances so PLHIVs can also file their complaints online which will be addressed by the ombudsmen."

38k
No of PLHIV in Mumbai