Flashback

I was talking to a man after a gospel meeting yesterday night. We will call him Marcus. I mentioned that we work with people who have HIV/AIDS. Marcus said that one of his best friends died of AIDS.

It was in the early days of the epidemic in Bombay.

His friend was taken to JJ hospital. It was hell. The people with AIDS were put on a balcony with a grill on it - and were basically out in the open according to Marcus.

Marcus said that his friends told him not to go meet his friend. He said no - that HIV does not spread to those who love and care. He went and helped his friend in the hospital. He carried him to the toilet when he was too weak to walk.

His friend developed a big swelling in the lymph node on his neck. Tuberculosis.

Marcus said that he thought that the hospital killed him off. "They purposely give less medicines to them"

One day he came to meet his friend. And his friend was gone. The nurses wouldn't tell him what happened to his friend.

Someone else was in the bed where his friend had been.

Its no wonder that there are deep rooted fears about getting help at a govt. hospital.