Amartya Sen concerned over plight of children with AIDS

[Guest guest]

Amartya Sen concerned over plight of children with AIDS

Bombay News.Net/ Wednesday 25th February, 2009 (IANS)

Nobel laureate Amartya Sen Wednesday expressed concern over the

plight of children affected by AIDS as also those orphaned by the

disease.

'I'm concerned about AIDS-affected children across the globe. Their

problem is indeed grave,' Sen said after launching a book 'Hopes

Alive: Surviving AIDS and Despair'.

Sen lauded the role played by the non-governmental organisation FXB

Suraksha, which has published the book authored by Patralekha

Chatterjee.

'The book is a tribute to those families and children bravely

confronting the HIV and AIDS epidemic in India, and to those

frontline workers whose determined efforts are changing the narrative

of AIDS orphans and vulnerable children on the ground, thereby

strengthening the national response to the epidemic,' said FXB

founder and president Albina du Bouisrouvray.

Over 20 million children worldwide are estimated to have been

orphaned by AIDS.

According to UNICEF, there are two million children under 15 living

with HIV, and too few of them are being diagnosed and treated at an

early enough age to save their lives.

In India, the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) has

identified 32,000 AIDS orphans. More than 2,000 children have been

diagnosed as AIDS patients till the middle of last year.

http://www.bombaynews.net/story/471254

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

Professor Amartya Sen has lots of places he can shed crocodile tears. Why here?

Sincerely,

Priyadarshi Datta

e-mail: <pdatta@...>

[Guest guest]

--- On Sat, 28/2/09,

Dear Forum

/message/9969

HIV is not a health problem it is one of the major social problems.

It is creating the more social commotion in the children and their

families. I am working for 5 years with HIV/AIDS affected and

Infected children. I observed so many case studies of the children in

HIV/AIDS sector.

Due to AIDS, children become Orphans. It is estimated that more than

20 million children, bellow 18 years have been orphaned as result of

AIDS. This number is increasing day by day in the communities, states

and national scenarios.

Children lost their both/single parents and are suffering from

emotional trauma, attached stigma & Discrimination, deprived of basic

needs (such as food, shelter and cloths) health, education and having

sibling separation. Children lost parental love, care, affection, and

support and depend on others such as grannies; relatives, hostels,

homes, friends, communities and foster families. Approximately 50-60%

AIDS Orphans is living with their aged (65 to 70 years) grannies.

A few of the foster families, relatives and neighbors are exploiting

the children and snatching their properties and are being thrown out

to the streets. As a result Children had to stop their education and

resulting in emergency of child headed families, child labour, child

workers, street children, mediators between the lovers, mentally

retard, commuting anti social elements ,committing suicide and a few

are addicted alcohol, Gutkas, drugs, going to pornographic movies.

If AIDS orphan is a girl, she has more risk than boys. They can

easily fall in Love or depend on a one; it leads to trafficking and

sex work. If the AIDS Orphan is a HIV positive nobody comes forward

to provide care and support and they are under malnutrition and

passing away. This is the current situation of the AIDS orphan.

This is not for all the AIDS Orphans, but majority of the AIDS

Orphans are having the same problems. We need to develop the

intervention on AIDS Orphans in the SACS and other NGO Programmes.

With Regards

Abraham Mutluri

e-mail: <abraham_msw@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

Re:  /message/9969

 

The problems of children affected by HIV/AIDS is of varied nature and one cannot

get satisfied by bringing one or two.

Another important observation has been that several organizations - both

NGOs/CBOs and the government have silently been rendering services. Individual

observations and personal experience of the few cannot be generalized.

Instead, evry such person can identify and associate these NGOs/CBOs  and help

them to save the AIDS orphans. Particularly, India HIV/AIDS Alliance through its

networkis doing great service in providing different support to these children.

Even their model can be replicated at the least investment with greater

participation of the local community. There is also a research publication on

their models by USAID - Pact - Community REACH. Let us bring solutions and

resources to save our posterity and discuss about these.

B Ragupathy

INP+

e-mail: <ragupathy@...>