Politics of HIV/AIDS: Layers of exclusion

Abstract

Politics of any country claims to work for the development of people. Political will and commitment are essential key components of an enabling environment for the implementation of right-based policies. One of its kinds has been human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) prevention, care and support programmes that claimed attention globally and nationally during the late nineties to 2015 capturing attention of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). HIV is a disease of social-relational nature and it is not merely a social disease. The epidemic is still largely concentrated among key populations at higher risk such as female sex workers, Injecting Drug Users (IDU), migrant labourers, Men who have sex with men (MSM) and other sexual minorities, that is, Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ). The ecological perspective suggests that health is affected by different social structures and aspects. This paper is an attempt to highlight the political factors which determine the disease and also the issues pertaining to funding which makes the disease less discussed in public nowadays. The funding of this sector (HIV/AIDS) has really gone down which raises several questions with regard to the spread of the disease vis-a-vis Indian diverse population. It is important to look at the government’s initiatives in contemporary times towards addressing treatment and adherence issues. It is found that there are issues that need to be addressed such as HIV prevalence, non-adherence, accessibility and availability of medicines and services, etc. Politics may play a crucial role in providing non-stigmatised, non-judgmental and enabling environment. India’s strength is its young age and its youth and majority of the population are below the age group of 25 and hence it is all the more crucial that proper focus on prevention and awareness of this behavioural disease.