India’s Major ‘War’: Saving Kids from HIV, AIDS

Children born to parents infected with HIV/AIDS virus place impressions of their palm as part of observing Candle Day at Freedom Foundation, a community care centre, at Kolathur. — Photo: S. Thanthoni (courtesyThe Hindu)

With its attention riveted to “War-on-Terror”, the world is yet to wake up to the HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) crisis that threatens to cripple a large section of the youth in India.

Thanks to a recent study by the Indian branch of Population Council, many startling facts have emerged. The study has been supported by the U.K.’s DFID (Department for International Development).

“Most children are diagnosed as being HIV positive after they are two and a half years or older, and most often they are tested when one or both parents report positive.

“The study acquires special significance as an estimated 80,000 of the 27 million birth that take place in India every year could be HIV-infected.”

The Population Council was founded by John D. Rockefeller 3rd in 1952. It conducts biomedical, social science, and public health research and helps build research capacities in developing countries. The Council is governed by an international board of trustees. Its New York headquarters supports a global network of regional and country offices, including India.

Ms Shireen Jejeebhoy, of the Council’s India office, says that of 5.1 million HIV positive people in the country (at last count), over 35 per cent of new infections now happen among the young – and women constitute one in three positive people.

The gravity of the situation can be gauged from the fact that 50 per cent of the new infections took place among those below the age of 25. India’s one-third population is in the age group of 15-24.

The study was conducted by Population Council – in collaboration with Social Awareness Services Organisation (SASO), Asha Foundation, and Freedom Foundation – in the high prevelance three Indian states – Manipur, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

Ms Avina Sarna, study project leader, says that the late diagnosis of the positive status of children indicates a delay in treatment. It also means there is a gap with regard to PPTCT (prevention of parent to child transmission) as an entry point for diagnosis and access to treatment.

Among the key findings of the study were the difficulties faced by a third of the caregivers in getting a confirmed
HIV diagnosis and getting referred to the treatment centres. Since 60 per cent of the infected are extremely poor, earning about Rs 3,000 (or about 60 US dollars) per month, they had financial problems to get the tests done and to access drugs.

A 27-year-old female caregiver from Hyderabad narrated her tale of woe: “When we went to get her (the child) tested for the first time they charged Rs 3,000. Then they prescribed medicine for which I spent Rs 1,000. We used the medicines but there was no improvement in her health. So we took her to children’s hospital. There we spent Rs 5,000 for tests as well as medicines. We had a lot of financial stress…”

Ms Sarna adds: “Disclosure of HIV status to children is low and the reasons for not informing the children varied from ‘the child being too young to understand’ to ‘fear that the child would tell others in the community leading to stigma and discrimination by society.’

“Although less than half the caregivers experienced stigmatization, they did experience discrimination by the family…the positive child was not allowed to attend school or play with other children…

“Nearly half the caregivers reported difficulties in administering medications to children. The three most commonly cited problems were the child refusing medicines, non-availability of pediatric formulations more suitable for children, and the ‘bad’ taste of the medicine.

Ms Jejeebhoy believes that the country is hugely committed to addressing the sexual and reproductive rights of all, including the HIV+ and to incorporating new and innovative strategies to address prevention and treatment.

“With this background, what we need are a better understanding of what vulnerabilities persist and what are the ways in which these can be addressed among the multiple groups that HIV has touched.”

The different segments of the study were: “Projects addressing the needs of people living with HIV/AIDS”; “Projects addressing the different needs of vulnerable populations”; “Projects addressing sexual vulnerability of young people”; and “Participatory communications for social change”.

It is worth mentioning that in view of the target groups (from the youth to illiterate women), Population Council prepared comic books for the young and a different strategy for low-literate women – an interactive training module for trainers and a takeaway booklet.

If you wish to read an exhaustive UNDP report on AIDS in India please click here…

“Beginning with the establishment of a National AIDS Control Program (NACP), managed by a small unit within the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the government has over time scaled up its response considerably.

“The Government has already implemented various programmes and amended rules regarding blood safety and established a decentralized mechanism to facilitate effective state-level responses to HIV prevention programmes, through NACP I and II. It is currently preparing for NACP III.

“The design of NACP 3 includes a complex consultative process. State specific and nationwide consultations are being held with national stakeholders such as PLWHA networks, local and international NGOs, experts and practitioners of HIV control initiatives, as well as international development partners.”