HIV Indian man almost buried live

Aids is a taboo subject in India

An Indian family attempted to bury a relative who was suffering from Aids just hours before he died.

Jaffer Dhari Sadiq, a 32-year old van driver, had slipped into a coma while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Madurai city in Tamilnadu state.

As neighbours of the rented house where he lived objected to his return his relatives took him to a graveyard.

But a grave digger finding signs of life in him demanded a doctor's certificate and refused to bury him.

Ignorance

The relatives threatened to leave him behind, but after local Muslims intervened an ambulance took him back to the hospital.

"Since the relatives were not willing to touch the patient, I had to send a sweeper in the ambulance along with the patient. The family members had to be counselled and their false notions had to be removed about the disease," Dr Karunanidhi said.

There is little knowledge of Aids in Tamilnadu state, according to Mr Swaminathan, an Aids activist.

Even people working for an NGOs increasing the awareness of Aids are shunned, even though for the most part they are HIV negative.

Bodies of those who have died from the disease are often not brought home but buried or cremated along with the person's bed and belongings.