Dr. Tokugha Yepthomi ~ His life, his story

He was recently invited to speak at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on September 20, 2011, which was organized by the WHO and UNAIDS, in collaboration with Member States, on HIV and NCD. But one could see that this commendable feat is a reward of many struggles although Dr. Tokugha Yepthomi chooses to rely on the brighter aspects of life.

He has been a forerunner of HIV cause in the country even as he recalls how his first travel abroad to Canada to attend World AIDS Conference in Vancover in 1996 helped him to form the Indian Network for people living with HIV/AIDS (INP+) as its First President.

This, he describes as a turning point in his life and one could also see the gratefulness in him when he says that another major turning point is being accepted by Dr. Suniti Solomon and being offered a position as a doctor despite his HIV status to care for her patients and continue being a doctor.

When asked how he became closely associated with the cause, he confesses that “My own diagnosis helped me to become involved with HIV. I wanted my story to motivate people living with HIV to be responsible and to understand that life is not over yet. If you take your medications you can lead a normal life. You can contribute to society. Yes, the struggles of those early minutes, hours and finally years were hard but my family especially my sister and brother in law and brother have been a strong source of support and encouragement to go ahead and despite many challenges both personally and socially, they have helped me and always encouraged me.”

He goes on to add that he has had several turning points, “….and each one has left an increased learning in my life…” which, he says, includes “choosing medicine as a course of study when I always thought of becoming an IAS officer or a legal advocate, or having graduated as a medical doctor and finally being able to contribute something to society (despite many hardships of having to read hundreds or thousands of medical pages, and willing for a natural disaster rather than give up….a usual lament of students), and of course, getting married and having our first son…. now we have more”.

Having experienced so much in life, he went on to become the Senior Medical Officer, YRG CARE, Voluntary Health Service in Chennai. He has been working here since 1995 providing clinical care, counseling and psychosocial support to more than 17000 registered patients from different states including patients from the North East. Talking about his job, he heartily says that “in fact we don’t call them patients any more as they are doing really well health wise since we have antiretroviral medications to help them cope better.”

For him, it is most fulfilling “to see a family walk out of our hospital looking hopeful and with a smile on their face. Many of them walk in with their heads down, dejected and untrusting. Our team here really helps them accept themselves and believe in their own ability to be able to continue living”, but as he also expresses that “unfortunately we also have bad days…we have patients who reach us at the last minute….they do not know where to go for treatment and are often afraid to ask others because of fear of disclosure.”

Yet, regardless of the walk he has taken this far, he feels that the greatest challenge of being a Doctor is “to be a simple human being and have a humane touch as the world seems so fast paced today in so many ways.”

And when talks of HIV on home ground that still suffers stigma and discrimination surfaces, he expresses that stigma and discrimination is not easy to cope with nor discuss openly, but however emphasized that ‘acceptance and support from social and religious groups and from the family networks is critical for persons living with HIV. Those who have been diagnosed require care and support and should be encouraged to reach out to their peers for not only support but right information for their own health. This in itself provides a ripple effect… also being comfortable with your own status does not necessarily mean that you need to pronounce to the world about your HIV status. Not everyone is required to be an activist neither is it required that all HIV activists should be living with HIV.”

“The more acceptance of HIV as a chronic manageable disease will help reduce the stigma associated with HIV. Improved health care and prevention services also contribute to destigmatising an issue. The HIV epidemic is complicated by the attitude of society towards persons living with HIV. Often they are perceived as dangerous, unworthy of treatment. The task of the media is to tell people the truth about the disease and help the common people to change their attitude towards people living with HIV”, he divulges.

He also observes that the Church in many places in India and in the West have taken on proactive roles in providing support to HIV programs wherein people of different ages come to the church. Towards this end, he opines that ‘the church has a captive audience to discuss these issues – helping people understand that yes, there is a problem, but it is preventable and manageable and that families affected by HIV require their compassion and prayers, love of Christ and acceptance of religious groups.’

‘I believe HIV is the most important issue we face because of how we treat the poor and voiceless is a reflection of who we are’, is what he has to say, even as he goes on to explain that ‘the problem with HIV infection is that it affects society as a whole, without exception. And for this very reason, everyone and certainly our children must have more information about the HIV and how to be safe.’

The Champion for the cause of HIV also has a heart for “Education” while stating his belief that “if everybody has education they can survive”. “I believe that the young generation can bring about oneness. Say no to tribalism!” he expresses further.

While the other side of him loves ‘cooking and eating rice and axone’, the driving force behind his life has always been his family, his wife and Dr Suniti Solomon (his director) and peers many of whom, he says, have become his friends.

A perfect example of one who never gave up, who got the privilege to walk in the same building as our World Leaders at the UN, which he simply states was “exciting”, Dr. Tokugha Yepthomi’s mantra in life seems to be this- "if you are reaching for the stars and don’t encounter a few clouds, you are not reaching high enough" to quote him.

With one more last question in line, when asked where does he go from here, he heartily expresses, “My fervent hope is to serve my own people. I hope to return to my homeland in the near future.”