World AIDS Day observed: patients still stigmatized as co-infections rise

December 1, Kathmandu: World AIDS Day is being observed globally and across Nepal today under the theme, “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response.” This year’s theme is a direct call for sustained political leadership, international cooperation, and human-rights-centred approaches to achieve the goal of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030.

The Ministry of Health and Population, along with the National Centre for AIDS and STD Control (NCASC), is organising various awareness programs across the country to mark the day.

Despite the national observance, health officials in various parts of the country have reported a worrying trend of increasing sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and tuberculosis (TB) among people living with HIV/AIDS.

The challenges of treatment adherence and social stigma remain significant hurdles. Krishnahari Sapkota, Program Coordinator of the AIDS Health Foundation at Bharatpur Hospital in Chitwan, stressed that the societal stigma against AIDS patients has not fundamentally changed. He highlighted this persistent discrimination, noting that even ambulance drivers sometimes hesitate to transport infected individuals to the hospital for necessary care.