Manna from NACO, home for HIV kids now in State
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 31 2010: Finally, a home, a sweet home is no longer a dream.

At last, a residential home, the first of its kind in the entire North East region, for HIV affected orphaned children has been opened in Manipur with the blessing of the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO).

The newly opened Community Care Centre for Children has the capacity of housing 50 children.

But there are only 11 children at the moment.

The centre directly sponsored by NACO is located at Thangmeiband Khomdram Selungba Leikai, just opposite to the Lamphel BRTF camp.

The centre become operational since April this year under the supervision of the Social Awareness Service Organisation (SASO).

The centre was established with the understanding that providing ART facility is not enough for the children living with HIV and that these orphaned children are assets of the nation and they should be given their due rights.

The Community Care Centre for HIV+ children at Thangmeiband

Orphaned children living with HIV between the age group of 6-18 can take shelter in the centre.

Besides housing the children, the centre is also looking after and educating the children on myriad fields like provision of nutritious food, general education, creating awareness on sexual reproductive health, developing ART endurance, imparting life skill training, ensuring physical and mental well-being and self control.

Any child admitted to the centre would be subjected to intensive medical tests to identify the health problems or diseases he/she is suffering from for necessary treatment.

In case, any of the children falls ill after being admitted, he/she would be kept in the observation room of the centre and diagnosed and treated accordingly.

As per NACO guidelines, the centre has one full time doctor, two part time doctors, three nurses, one project co-ordinator, one janitor, one part time laboratory technician and one outreach worker cum care worker.

Of the 11 children residing at the centre, eight are studying in different classes between Nursery and Class X while three others have not been admitted at any school as yet.

One six year old kid residing at the centre said that he used to live with his aunt before coming to the centre.

"I didn't know my parents.

Since coming here, I can have milk and eggs and I'm growing healthier", the kid said.

Another girl reading in class IX was seen going to school on a bicycle.

Talking to The Sangai Express, project co-ordinator of the centre, Y Lokendro said that many people came to the centre for keeping children as young as zero year.

But the centre has no facility to take children between 0-6 years.

In addition to looking after their health problems, daily food requirements and education, the Centre has been putting extra efforts to make the children forget that they are living with HIV and physically weak.

Slowly and steadily, the centre has succeeded in instilling a sense of being healthy among the children.

"Now all the children have a feeling that they are healthy", Lokendro said.

SASO general secretary Sashikumar rejoiced at the establishment of the Community Care Centre for Children for the first time in the entire North East for children living with HIV but without parents.

But one such centre could not cater to the needs and requirements of the orphaned children living with HIV whose number is increasing year after year, Sashikumar said.

Till June this year, altogether 3670 children affected by HIV belonging to Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Chandel, Ukhrul and Bishnupur districts have been admitted under Chaha programme.

Out of these children, 812 are living with HIV while 11 per cent of them have lost their parents.

Observing that the State Government has not taken up any scheme for children living with HIV, the SASO general secretary lamented that the children homes being run with grant in aids from the State Government have no facility to house children living with HIV.

The Chaha project launched since June 2007 has been providing nutrition support, household support, psycho-social support and education support to children affected by HIV.

The period of the same project would lapse in 2011, Sashikumar said adding that efforts are being made to extend the project period.

"How long can our children be looked after with fund coming from outside the State ? These children would be left to themselves once the projects/programmes expire.

Under such conditions, it demands a concrete State policy for our children", Sashikumar asserted.

It's time coordinated efforts are made between Social Welfare Department, Education Department and other relevant departments and the community for the welfare of those hapless children, he added.