Lend a voice to the untold story of abandon and discrimination of HIV positive children among us while focus should also be given on a range of social, political and economic issues including the struggles of migrant workers, sex workers and the helplessness and denial of rights that the children face every day. However, special attention ought to be given to the infected and affected children of HIV and also the children vulnerable to HIV like children of vulnerable women, Intravenous Drug Users (IDUs), street children, child labours etc.
The physical structure of such children weakens due to inadequate nutrition with no proper or specific scheme to help these children while psychologically they are traumatized due to stigma and discrimination prevalent in the society. On the contrary, expensive medicines and pitiable healthcare systems make quality treatment out of reach for the common, mainly in rural areas. Unfortunately, parents die in their prime and even orphaned children are not secured the stigma and discrimination that is time and again more brutal than the disease. At last, the grandparents and the relatives have to take up the responsibility to look after these children. And some are even left in the streets to live upon their own.
Lately, there has been a disturbing trend of rising new infections in women, young people and children, pointing to the epidemic spreading to the general population and in rural areas in particular. Therefore, it should be the collective liability to make sure that children living with HIV, affected and vulnerable to HIV are provided proper education, nutrition and medical care as it is the children who suffer at the end.
In this regard, efforts to reach out to the community have been successful with a range of integrated counseling and testing centers, community care centers that provide treatment for opportunistic infections for people living with HIV, drop-in centers that provide exclusive services for HIV-positive women. And most importantly, fighting and tackling the marginalization of children infected and affected by HIV and the sexual minorities, are yet to be achieved. Whereas as a human being when we understand our duties, we do not need any campaigns.
Apart from depending completely on the government and its agencies, international or national funders, there should be efforts to reach out to the available local resources like corporate sector, educational institutions, civil societies, religious organizations and social service organizations to mobilize additional funds (finance, sponsoring education, food and cloths, house rent exemption, providing free medicines, construction of hospice, acceptance in the society and place for worship, special prayers in religious places, schools & colleges should be free of stigma and discrimination etc.) to help these numerous children who are yet to get basic education, healthcare, nutrition, home, clothes, psychological needs, love, care etc. In addition, efforts should also be made in provision of sufficient food and nutrition to all children infected and affected by HIV and children vulnerable to HIV, free and quality medical treatment to all children living with HIV and involving positive people eloquently at all levels of decision making.
Significantly, village council can also be the leading and an exemplary body to work for the cause of such children within their respective jurisdiction. If not all, this local self body can reduce stigma and discrimination, and can create a supportive environment for children infected and affected by HIV so that these children can hone their skill along with rest of the children.
Let’s not just talk and write about the sufferings of these children from the comfort of our homes and offices over a cup of tea, but rather partake in one’s own small way to bring about a change in their lives so that these children would no more shed their tears in the silence. Let’s make them so strong that they would not yield to death and those who would yield to death, would yield with dignity. And let’s not forget them in our prayers.
The physical structure of such children weakens due to inadequate nutrition with no proper or specific scheme to help these children while psychologically they are traumatized due to stigma and discrimination prevalent in the society. On the contrary, expensive medicines and pitiable healthcare systems make quality treatment out of reach for the common, mainly in rural areas. Unfortunately, parents die in their prime and even orphaned children are not secured the stigma and discrimination that is time and again more brutal than the disease. At last, the grandparents and the relatives have to take up the responsibility to look after these children. And some are even left in the streets to live upon their own.
Lately, there has been a disturbing trend of rising new infections in women, young people and children, pointing to the epidemic spreading to the general population and in rural areas in particular. Therefore, it should be the collective liability to make sure that children living with HIV, affected and vulnerable to HIV are provided proper education, nutrition and medical care as it is the children who suffer at the end.
In this regard, efforts to reach out to the community have been successful with a range of integrated counseling and testing centers, community care centers that provide treatment for opportunistic infections for people living with HIV, drop-in centers that provide exclusive services for HIV-positive women. And most importantly, fighting and tackling the marginalization of children infected and affected by HIV and the sexual minorities, are yet to be achieved. Whereas as a human being when we understand our duties, we do not need any campaigns.
Apart from depending completely on the government and its agencies, international or national funders, there should be efforts to reach out to the available local resources like corporate sector, educational institutions, civil societies, religious organizations and social service organizations to mobilize additional funds (finance, sponsoring education, food and cloths, house rent exemption, providing free medicines, construction of hospice, acceptance in the society and place for worship, special prayers in religious places, schools & colleges should be free of stigma and discrimination etc.) to help these numerous children who are yet to get basic education, healthcare, nutrition, home, clothes, psychological needs, love, care etc. In addition, efforts should also be made in provision of sufficient food and nutrition to all children infected and affected by HIV and children vulnerable to HIV, free and quality medical treatment to all children living with HIV and involving positive people eloquently at all levels of decision making.
Significantly, village council can also be the leading and an exemplary body to work for the cause of such children within their respective jurisdiction. If not all, this local self body can reduce stigma and discrimination, and can create a supportive environment for children infected and affected by HIV so that these children can hone their skill along with rest of the children.
Let’s not just talk and write about the sufferings of these children from the comfort of our homes and offices over a cup of tea, but rather partake in one’s own small way to bring about a change in their lives so that these children would no more shed their tears in the silence. Let’s make them so strong that they would not yield to death and those who would yield to death, would yield with dignity. And let’s not forget them in our prayers.
(The author works in an NGO called Prodigals’ Home, based in Dimapur, and can be reached at zakirlee@gmail.com)
