HIV/AIDS in Kashmir

AIDS is a fatal disease described variously as modern plague, scourge, distressing disease, and insidious biological disaster. It has emerged as an unprecedented pandemic cutting across all boundaries – International, Socioeconomic, Sex, Age, and Race. When people are diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, they are seen in a negative light by the people they are close to and the society at large. These factors have a lasting impact on the mental health of the people. The present study looks at the reactions the people of Kashmir, when diagnosed as being HIV positive, have faced. 50 people getting treated at an ART Center SKIMS, Soura at Srinagar were interviewed. The responses showed both positive and negative responses to the questions they were asked. This shows that HIV/AIDS people, although face the discrimination, majority of the people diagnosed as positive, have the support of family and friends and are taken care of. However, the people also face mental health issues.