No state aid for HIV-infected children

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, May 22, 2012: Though cases of children infected with HIV continue to register, there are seldom the focus of prevention, treatment and care programmes. Even programmes that aim at preventing vertical transmission of the virus often end once the mother is discharged from the hospital. Ironically, except for a couple of NGOs working in this sector, there are no specific schemes by government to take care of children with AIDS. The emphasis of prevention, care and treatment is on adults with special schemes, programmes in place for women, men, sex workers and various other categories but unfortunately there are no specific programmes or projects for children.

Until a few years ago, state government with the help of some international NGOs, used to implement The Children Affected by HIV/AIDS-Health and Happiness for All (CHAHA), which also wound up. Under CHAHA, government used to support, children infected with HIV by providing education, books, healthy nutritious diet and medical assistance.

G. Kiran Kumar, belonging to an NGO working for the welfare of children infected with AIDS said that 10 per cent of the funds spent by every government organisation, NGO and voluntary organisation on AIDS related programmes should be allotted to the welfare of children infected with HIV.

Official statistics available at the AIDS control office here show that there are around 796 children under the age of 16 infected with HIV living in Vizag, but local NGOs and health workers estimate the real number to be much higher. The numbers are registered at the three anti retroviral therapy (ART) centres in Vizag district, two in the city and the remaining one at Anakapalli. “We could successfully bring down the rate of virus transmission from mother to child in the womb during pregnancy, and positive babies are rarely born these days. But there are no specific programmes now after CHAHA was wound up to take care of children infected with AIDS, though there are some programmes integrated with ICDS centres to take care of such children,” said additional district medical and health officer and AIDS officer Dr R. Ramesh. According to a global report every day, nearly 1,800 children under 15 are infected with HIV worldwide. About 21,000 children in India are infected with HIV every year.