Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 30:
Grave concern has been expressed over the plight of the young children who have become victims of HIV/AIDS during a one-day workshop on the �Issues of HIV/AIDS Infected and Affected Child� held at the conference hall of Hotel Nirmala today.
The workshop was organised by Social Awareness Service Organisation (SASO) under the sponsorship of Catholic Relief Service (CRS).
The workshop attended by presidents of student bodies like DESAM, AMSU, MSF and MAFYF among other representatives of various NGOs working in the field also resolved to set up a forum at the earliest possible with the objective of acting as a pressure group on the Government for incorporating the issues of HIV/AIDS affected children in its health related programmes or policies.
During the workshop, project manager of SASO and CRS Archana Oinam read out a paper on the �Grass-root level experience on children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS�.
Highlighting the problems of HIV/AIDS in Manipur, the paper expressed grave concern over the increasing number of orphans among the children who are infected/ affected with HIV/AIDS, the social stigma and discrimination they are facing in the society and its psychological impact on their young minds.
The paper also took special note on lack of separate home for such orphans and their accessibly ART facilities in the State.