JEDDAH: There is insufficient financial support to help people with AIDS, said Dr. Sana Filimban, chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Charitable Society for AIDS patients. The shortage of money, from the government and individuals, creates mistaken impressions about the organization and its work, she said. “The Society relies on assistance from the Ministry of Social Affairs and some personal cash donations, all of which is insufficient for us to be able to offer much help to those living with AIDS,” Filimban said. “This makes us appear in others' eyes as negligent and incapable of helping AIDS patients.” Filimban stressed that no financial violations have been registered against the organization and that a consultancy office under the supervision of the Ministry of Social Affairs carries out all of the Society's accounting work. While its resources are limited, the Society manages to help AIDS patients with their expenses and give them food, she added. “Despite the financial difficulties, we give patients nominal amounts to cover transportation and settle some bills for services and we provide them with food baskets,” she said. “Also, we help some patients obtain loans from the Credit Bank so they can carry out small projects to generate some income.” The challenges, however, are increasing, Filimban said. From 1984 through 2008, there were only 4,019 AIDS cases detected among Saudis, but in 2009, 1,287 AIDS patients were discovered and 481 were Saudis, she noted. The number of AIDS patients registered in the Society has reached 339 including 78 women and 10 children, she said, and the total number of families with a member who has AIDS has reached 1,472. Filimban said the Society has provided rehabilitation training within the Kingdom and abroad to AIDS patients so they can contribute by conducting support sessions to other new and old AIDS patients, in return for the nominal amount of SR200. Medical care is not part of the Society's work, she noted. “The Society has nothing to do with treating the patient,” she said. “The Ministry of Health is the authority that dispenses medicine and follows up with AIDS patients. We have never received any complaint about the unavailability of these medicines.” Filimban said her organization has not played a role in marriages between AIDS patients. “Nobody can stand in the way of two people who want to marry, provided there is no nonconformity in medical tests, and this is determined by the authorities concerned,” she said. “Fifty men with AIDS have married since the Society was established.” Her group refers those who want to get married to doctors and if it is able, provides assistance to newly married couples. “The role of the Society is to refer whoever is interested in getting married to the concerned doctor, who determines whether the two individuals can get married and the possibilities of the woman becoming pregnant. According to its resources, the Society contributes by providing household appliances to the couple.”
