Analyzing Accessibility of Health Care for HIV Positive Women in Karnataka and West Bengal

Abstract

Right to health ensures health care to all irrespective of any socio-economic and cultural differences. Since the late 1980s, HIV/AIDS has emerged as an epidemic in India and it has put forth several challenges like medical, socio-economic isssues. The health problem has more adverse effects on vulnerable sections of the society like the poor and women. In such a context, there is a need for the state to address the issue in a way that the health rights of women could be ensured effectively. In this article, we explore the role of the state in ensuring health rights of HIV positive women. Two states are selected, i.e., Karnataka (one of the high prevalence states) and West Bengal (one of the low prevalence states) to examine the difference of performance of state towards assurance of health rights of women. One of the vital parameters of health rights, i.e., accessibility of health care and treatment is considered. We found that despite initiatives taken by the states, accessibility of health care has remained an oasis for many HIV positive people. More importantly, state governments fail in ensuring accessibility of health care facilities due to widespread instances of treatment denial, discrimination and absence of counselling.