Due to a lack of budget in Tikapur Municipality, people living with HIV have been deprived of receiving nutritional support. The issue arose after the allocated budget for people living with HIV was reduced from Rs. 750,000 to Rs. 300,000, creating difficulties in providing adequate nutritional assistance.
In the fiscal year 2023/24, Tikapur Municipality had allocated Rs. 750,000 and was providing annual nutritional support of NPR 6,000 each to 125 individuals. However, after the budget was reduced to Rs. 300,000, people living with HIV have faced challenges in accessing nutritional support, said Jagat Bhandari, Chairperson of Navjeevan Ekta Society, an organization working in the field of rights of people living with HIV.
He stated, “Most of those affected come from economically disadvantaged families. Many are single women who have lost their husbands and are burdened with managing household expenses and raising children. As individuals living with HIV need to take regular medication, additional nutrition is essential to maintain their health and strengthen their immunity. The government must ensure adequate budget allocation to support them.”
Although Tikapur Municipality had been providing nutritional support to people living with HIV based on established guidelines in previous years, Acting Mayor Ram Bahadur Nagarji stated that the budget was reduced this fiscal year due to limited resources, with plans to reallocate sufficient funds in the upcoming year.
He said, “While healthcare and nutrition for affected individuals remain a top priority, there are many other challenges as well. Work that could not be completed in the current fiscal year will be addressed in the next fiscal year with ensured budget allocation.”
In Tikapur Municipality, there are 70 children under the age of 18 living with HIV and 125 individuals currently receiving medication and nutritional support. According to Bhandari, an additional 40 individuals have not come forward due to social stigma and lack of respectful treatment in society.