[Ambulatory management of AIDS patients--a report from Tübingen]

The number of persons suffering from AIDS is continually increasing. Although politicians, in particular, had been hopeful that spread of information would solve the AIDS problem, we are now facing an unexpectedly large number of AIDS patients requiring help, a number that is growing all the time. Most of the problem involved arise in non-hospitalised care. Housing the patients is among the most prominent tasks to be tackled with utmost speed. Several solutions are possible: a) Helping persons who can still look after themselves independently, to find living accommodation. b) Living in care in residential groups c) Living in care in single apartments or flats d) Living in residential quarters utilized both for living and care, i.e. large flats where sick persons can be looked after. Such outpatient care of AIDS patients requires close cooperation of all concerned with these activities. AIDS counselling in Public Health offices can exercise a coordinating and organising function in this regard. In addition, of course, individual persons will also have to be looked after. Politicians on a community, Land and state government level are required to face this problem "fairly and squarely" and to contribute towards solving it. AIDS patients cannot handle this situation "off their own bat".