Thick and Thin

Manohar is depressed.

And no wonder.

Manohar has HIV. His wife has the disease too.

He has been on the ART medications, which helped for some time, but now they are not doing their work.

Manohar has been losing weight. He is losing his sight in one eye. He is weak and has found it hard to go to work.

Manohar lives on the outskirts of the Jeevan Sahara home-based care team's programme area. The team has met him over the months, but often found him at work or away in his village.

Manohar's medical treatment is failing. He needs to be started on the next level of medications - far, far beyond any capacity to pay.

A few months ago we tried to get Manohar onto 2nd line treatment for HIV, through another organisation which has helped support people on these medications. This programme has an office far on the other side of Mumbai. It was very hard, but we encouraged Manohar to go, and for the past 2 months have been following up on him.

Two days ago the organisation called up and said that yes, Manohar needs 2nd line ART - but that he should get it from the government. We could hardly believe what we were hearing. Why did they not tell us at the beginning to approach the government?

How to explain to this man that we are now going to try with the government? Our staff took it in the chin and broke the news. This afternoon they went to the government hospital for a referral to the main HIV hospital in south Mumbai. Tomorrow they will try to go with him there.

Its hard when you are poor and sick. Though we are grateful for some facilities that are their for people with HIV - we see so many challenges in getting them - on time - while hope still lasts.

At the same time, we appreciate the courage of each one of our friends with HIV - and our loyal and gentle staff (who have their own bad days too) who advocate - listen - and are their with our friends with HIV - through thick and thin.