Interpersonal Transactions of Social Care and HIV/AIDS: Indian Experience

N. Ravichandran, Indian Institute of Health Management (IIHMR)
Jammy Guru Rajesh, Indian Institute of Health Management (IIHMR)

The proponents of health care believe that access to care is inextricably linked to the subject of rights and freedom, and equity and equality. The concept of 'access' extends beyond confines of health care to encompass all aspects of life cycle during infection and embedded with social, economic and cultural system. These aspects profoundly influence the extent and nature of society's requirements in the field of HIV/AIDS. A cultural challenge in developing strategies in giving real meaning to the rights of PLHAs still questioned in aspects of quality, equity, equality and accountability in our project areas. Thus, care and support programmes cannot treat PLHAs mere events of biological living but as active consumers of the services as well. It is this complex set of interpersonal transactions between PLHAs and community and service providers that forms the core of the study.