2002/11/05

Alone and United in support of women with AIDS

IPS
Third World Institute (ITeM)

While the government of Peru cuts down the state aid to the HIV-AIDS patients, the civil society gets together to fight against the disease. Alone and United (Solas y Unidas) is an organization focusing exclusively on infected women. It was established after the women themselves verified that not only their needs but mainly their attitudes towards the disease were different.

One of the main Alone and United objectives is to train housewives who have contracted the disease so that they can work at home.

The group is supported by the Peruvian NGO Free Way (Vía Libre), but little aid is received from international institutions. This year, Borja Velazco, founder of Alone and United, wrote to the UNAIDS program demanding this and other institutions’ support.

According to official numbers, 12.680 Peruvians are HIV carriers, 30% of which are women. But the estimated real number could climb up to 70.000 infected, 75% of which are unaware of the fact.

In Peru there are 12 NGOs whose main areas of concern are the right to health and the problems that face HIV carriers and AIDS patients. These groups offer medical assistance, free or low-priced medicines and manage the so-called GAM (Mutual Aid Group).

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