Wat Phra Bat Nam Phu is a temple in LopBuri, Thailand, that cares for dying AIDS patients and helps to rehabilitate those who are strong enough to get back on their feet. There are no doctors, no nurses and no morphine. Since the Thai government decided to ignore Abbot's patent laws and make the Anti-Retroviral drug cocktail available, many people come to the hospice to live rather than to die. Still, 3 to 4 deaths occur per week.

An estimated 90% of the patients at Wat Phra Bat...
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Wat Phra Bat Nam Phu is a temple in LopBuri, Thailand, that cares for dying AIDS patients and helps to rehabilitate those who are strong enough to get back on their feet. There are no doctors, no nurses and no morphine. Since the Thai government decided to ignore Abbot's patent laws and make the Anti-Retroviral drug cocktail available, many people come to the hospice to live rather than to die. Still, 3 to 4 deaths occur per week.

An estimated 90% of the patients at Wat Phra Bat Nam Phu never see their families again. HIV + individuals are still very much stigmatized in Thailand, and many of those who are well enough to go back into the world would prefer to stay at the hospice than face the alienation of their communities.
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