CLHIV's demands for separate pediatricians
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, July 13 2011: World Vision India together with People Living with HIV & AIDS (PLHIV) and Children Living with HIV & AIDS (CLHIV) jointly held an interactive session with media persons toady at Manipur Press Club in which CLHIV's came out openly and shared their grievances bringing into light the need for a separate pediatrician exclusively for them.

The interaction also brought into focus the increasing numbers of lives losy among the PLHIV's despite ART because of non availability of the component to test Hep-C in the past and current National Aids Control Programme (NACP).

Non prevalence of specific programme components for women and children till date in NACP were raised and discussed as a major challenge.

Speaking to reporters on the occasion Reni Jacob, Advocacy Director, World Vision India said that PLHIV are the most discriminated community in a society.

There are even cases of PLHIV been killed because of their status in this state.

He appealed to the media to give voice to these voiceless sections of the society.

He further said that the government should create a platform for Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV & AIDS (GIPA).

Securing community involvement through PLHIV would not only strengthen HIV prevention but help all stakeholders to scale up the treatment & care programmes.

About 1200 children are living with HIV/AIDS in Manipur and among them some 200 fall under the program Orphan Vulnerable Children (OVC), said Stevenson Khongangi, Associate Director, North East India, World Vision India.

World Vision India and PLHIVs have through the interaction highlighted few urgent issues to be addressed which include, inter alia, children and women specific diagnosis and care, nutritional support for poor HIV affected families, strengthening prevention of parent to child transmission (PPTCT) program at all private clinics, effective counseling for positive mothers, reduction of stigma, checking widespread drug abuse among youngsters, strengthening women and child rights mechanisms, instruments and deliverance, etc.

PLHIV activist and member of MNP+ Ratan came out heavily on the government for prescribing First Line ART with the composition Stavudin which have been phase out by the WHO.

He said that Stavudin has already been phase out because of its inevitable side effects by WHO but is still been used in India.

Recently this particular drug has been imported into the country in huge quantity amounting to lakhs of rupees.

Interacting with media persons, CLHIV's, many of whom are school going children reacted on the role out of ART at ART centres on weekdays and insisted that they should also be given at least on two Sundays in a month so that they don't have any problem with their school timings.

They urge the government not to remain silent in such sensitive issues and to come out with solid domino effect.

Thoibi, a member of PLHIV from Moirang, said during the interaction session that people from poorer background are prone to HIV infection but because the families are unable to afford the medical expenses they die of Hep-C even before HIV/AIDS claims their lives.

Several other positive people also narrated their personal tale of trial and tribulation and the stigma that comes with the disease.

At the end of the event the speakers unanimously demanded that all stakeholders communicate the charter of demands of Parish Declaration, 1994, as widely as possible and create a common voice for children affected by HIV and AIDS.

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