Dipika Gaur
Fellowship Location: Punjab, India
Himachal Pradesh State Aids Control Society
Hey there,
Internet has been hard to come by because the power is usually out for at least a few hours each day. Coincidentally, I end up being at home only when the power is out. It has been an eye-opening few weeks in India, and hopefully, I can familiarize you with my experiences through this blog. I am a rising third-year student at Gallatin, concentrating in Global Health Equity with a Focus on HIV/AIDS. I’m also a Public Health and Policy minor within Steinhardt. I am in India trying to better understand perceptions of HIV/AIDS etiology and epidemiology within the state of Punjab.
I had originally planned to work with the Punjab State AIDS Control Society (PSACS), but once I got settled in here, I realized that patient contact through a government organization was nearly impossible. Although I’m still interning, I have been splitting my time amongst PSACS and CSACS (Chandigarh SACS) centers. Chandigarh is the capital of two states (Punjab and Haryana) so it qualifies as a union territory and has its own SACS. The specifics of my work with the SACS will follow in another post, but I hope this provides a little bit of background with which to follow.
One of the most resonating aspects of my trip so far have been the reactions that friends, family, acquaintances, and random strangers send my way when they learn that I am passionately committed to working on HIV/AIDS issues. The strongest response was, “you couldn’t find something more acceptable/respectable?” (The best translation I can offer). I want to say I didn’t feel offended because the person was someone who I met two days prior and barely knew. Yet, most certainly, I was offended. Before arriving here, I didn’t think I would have to explain why HIV/AIDS was so important to me. I spent most of my time thinking about how others would share their stories. My trip here has led me to reflect upon why this matters to me.
Whenever asked why I’m “doing this”, I say that I believe everyone has a right to a life of dignity regardless of their socioeconomic or medical history. The human right to express themselves freely and live without fear of persecution or hate. I can’t say that these rights are respected all the time here, and I can’t say social stigma doesn’t impact care… but I’ve come to realize that one must within themselves identify their rights and stand by them. There is a loss of self-respect in many of the HIV/AIDS cases here and grasping this has become one of my main priorities.