It's a pity to see how social sensibilities of people have become numb in this dog eat dog world. The recent picture in the Times of India, of an HIV positive boy tied to his hospital bed to prevent him from running away reflects how society punishes by stigmatizing people for no fault of theirs.

To make things worse the bed next to his, was that of a patient suffering from severe tuberculosis, when in his condition the chances of him developing an infection were so high due to reduced immunity. The hospital obviously did not care!

Most HIV positive and AIDS inflicted people are actually forced to refrain from telling other at work and in the neighbourhood about their condition out of fear of stigmatization. They are sidelined at work, not allowed employee or medical benefits, under paid and in most cases out of objection from other colleagues authorities eventually ask them to resign.

With limited and expensive treatments available, which are mostly out of reach for the common man the only treatment for this poor lot is sensitivity to their condition and reassurance through talking to them. It's the only thing that can make a difference to their world.