Aadhaar linking makes HIV patients wary
HIV patients fear the compulsory submission of Aadhaar card to get free medicines and medical check-ups could lead to disclosure of their identity, inviting social stigma.
BHOPAL: Linking people living with the HIV/AIDS with Aadhaar cards has allegedly driving away patients from hospitals and antiretroviral therapy centres in Madhya Pradesh.
The patients feared the compulsory submission of Aadhaar card to get free medicines and medical check-ups under a government’s AIDS control scheme, could lead to disclosure of their identity, inviting social stigma.
According to health department sources, the MP State AIDS Control Society made Aadhaar compulsory from February for those affected by the virus to get free drugs and treatment in accordance with the Centre’s policy making the submission of the card mandatory to avail benefits of a government scheme.
The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) has also recently written to ART centres to link all people living with the HIV/AIDS with Aadhaar cards for effective monitoring and to avoid duplication. Health activists, however, said while issuing the directive the society did not take into account the fallout.
Sources said patients and suspected victims started avoiding ATR centres and district hospitals after the new rule came into effect. “Aadhaar card is linked to so many things, including even the bank account. How can I be assured that my identity would not be disclosed?” said a student, at the Bhopal district hospital.
Evaluators at the state’s AIDS Control Society find justification in the apprehension. “During evaluation, we find employees at the centres disclose identities of patients without any hesitation. When they can easily disclose it to me, how can I expect they would not pass on the information to others,” said an evaluator, requesting anonymity.