It has been a great boon for people living with HIV AIDS to receive ART on a regular basis. The ART centres are functioning quit well in Guntur, Narasaraopet.  My recent visits  reveal that some of the patients are giving up the medicines. This seems to happen because they begin to feel well,; because they have other medical problems, personal problems. This therefore points to the need for continuous  visits and motivation. Are the State level networks functioning? Are the NGOs mainstreaming HIV into their other programs?

Another important issue that I came across is that some persons are arranging marriages between PLHIV, and involving unethical practices. They also take commission to broker these marriages. I know of a 18 year old tribal girl who was married to a 3 year old man from a different district. Is he infected with HIV1 or HIV II. Is he bisexual? Is he on regular ART? These questions are unanswered, and the reason why these questions came up was because the girl came crying back to her widowed mother saying she is being sexually abused..and had ulcers all over her..

Civil society should be actively concerned in this area. It is a violence that has to be exposed. Networks among PLHIV has to be a very vibrant one with strong advocacy, not left to self made leaders.