Lockdown distress: People with HIV unable to buy medicines and food

by April 30, 2020 Health
During lockdown, people living with HIV (PLHIV) have not been able to step out and buy critical medicines and food. Many have had no work or wages either.

RJ Radha from Radio Active 90.4 talks to Sreedevi from the Bangalore HIV Forum and Prabhanand Hegde from the Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR) and highlights the problems faced by the People Living with HIV (PLHIV) community in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. They discuss solutions being implemented to help the community cope.

Sreedevi says the main difficulty for PLHIV is the inability to step out and buy necessary medication during lockdown. To add to this, the people of this community find themselves out of work due to the lockdown, and the prices of the tablets they need have doubled. Vegetables and greens are instrumental for the nutrition of this community, but PLHIV are scared to spend due to low wages and increased prices.

One community member couldn’t take her second line tablets of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for almost 15 days. Sreedevi, with the support of the Radio Active team, made arrangements for an auto driver to ferry her and ensure that she got her daily dose of medicines.

The Bangalore HIV Forum group also regularly shares important information on nutrition for the PLHIV community.

Prabhanand from CFAR explains his team’s approach towards alleviating the difficulties faced by the PLHIV community. His team identifies people affected by the lockdown (through organisations like Milana and the HIV Forum) and distributes dry ration (lentils, oil, wheat) to their doorstep. So far, the team has catered to around 150 families and is looking at extending its services all across Bengaluru.

CFAR refers to the government list of vulnerable classes to reach out to. Their work with different organisations like Milana over the past years made it very easy to gather information and act accordingly.

CFAR’s collaboration with the Disaster Management Committee (DMC) at the state government level focuses on food security and health. If any person is facing difficulties in obtaining tablets, they can get in touch with the DMC and get it home delivered.

The DMC has issued a circular to District Collectors and District Health Officers instructing them to home deliver priority tablets. To maintain the confidentiality of the patient, the patient can contact the counsellor at the ART centre and the medicine can be collected a few paces away from their homes.

Both Sreedevi and Prabhanand urge people to stay at home and protect themselves from COVID-19. They also request people to not panic and instead reach out to the authorities in case of need.

https://soundcloud.com/radioactivecr90-4mhz/radio-active-covid-19-special-with-hegde-cfar-provides-nutrition-support-to-plhiv-rjradha
Listen to the Radio Active COVID -19 Special with Sreedevi from the Bangalore HIV Forum and Prabhanand Hegde from the Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR), in conversation with RJ Radha from Radio Active

[Compiled by Deeksha Sudhindra]

Sections:

About Radio Active 90.4MHz

Radio Active 90.4MHz is a community radio that serves as a platform for marginalised communities in Bengaluru.
Read more by Radio Active 90.4MHz

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Similar Story

Community mental health events in Bengaluru: Healing under the trees

by November 19, 2025 Health
NIMHANS initiatives like Community Connect and Santhe encourage dialogue and spark inclusive, stigma-free conversations on mental health.

Amidst the green hues of the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens in Bengaluru, conversations on mental health are getting a new shade. On one Saturday morning each month, beneath the majestic trees, people from different backgrounds gather to interact with mental health professionals. The discussions span a wide variety of themes such as emotional well-being, suicide prevention, digital overuse and much more, creating an open forum where dialogue replaces one-way information. This initiative, called Community Connect, envisioned by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), converts a public park into a space for shared learning and support. The Mental Health…

Continue reading

Similar Story

Explained: How Tele MANAS is shaping tele-mental healthcare in India

by November 12, 2025 Health
The Tele MANAS programme has supported over 28 lakh people across the country. Here's how it works and what it's achieved.

When a 30-year-old man from Karnataka felt overwhelmed by suicidal thoughts and a deep sense of hopelessness, he reached out to a government-run tele-counselling helpline. On the other end of the line was a trained counsellor from Tele MANAS, India’s national tele-mental health programme. The counsellor listened patiently, offered emotional support, and guided him to a nearby mental health hospital under the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) for further care. In another case, a 17-year-old student, anxious about his upcoming exams, called the same helpline. He received practical advice, study tips, and daily motivation. Two years later, he called back…

Continue reading