Re: Kerala government order to admit HIV-infected children to school

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum

I think we need to consider stigma and discrimination related to HIV in a much

wider context, stigma had always existed in our society from time immemorial.

Many a times society discriminated people infected with diseases. Leprosy,

smallpox, TB were attracted a lot of stigma. Some other time human beings were

discriminated based on caste, color, even women menstruate!

I don’t think we can reduce stigma by force, Government or authorities can

cancel registration of such schools that denies admission for CLHIVS, however

when PTA strongly resists or parents withdraw their children from the schools

what would be the meaning of making such compulsion? We have similar experience

in Goa, when autaorities instructed to admit CLHIVs, parents of negative

children took away their children from the schools.

The practical approach may be separate school for CLHIVS, like special

education. The argument against the separate school could be it exacerbate

stigma in the society but the fact is in an informal society like kerala

majority knows the status of PLHVs and their children, with out imposing force

KSACS with the help of NGOs may make some efforts to convince the PTA and school

authorities instead of making situation worse. Stigma will slowly reduce and it

will take time and we may be patient for some time, currently TB doesn’t attract

much stigma since society aware about the disease.

Joy Cyriac

E-mail: <joycyriac2000@...>