INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Kathmandu, November 23
People working to uplift the living standard of children have demanded that rehabilitation centres be built for
children living with HIV/AIDS, and allowance given to them be increased.
Children suffering from HIV/AIDS are living in a miserable
Therefore, they need proper financial and emotional support, they said
According to National Centre for AIDS and STD Control, there are an estimated 1,192 children below 14 year of age living with HIV across the
country.
According to a national report on Status of Children in Nepal, there is lack of coordination among governmental organisations and
non-governmental organisations when it comes to managing and updating data of children with HIV
The recently released report states that there has been less availability of health services for children suffering from HIV
The report has also said the country lacks sufficient labs to test HIV.
&As the condition of children living with HIV/AIDS is miserable, we
need to make a provision for providing allowance to children and the government should build rehabilitation centres for such children,& said
Krishna Prasad Bhusal, administrative chief at National Child Rights Council.
The report has suggested that services and allowance should be
provided to children living with HIV/AIDS under social security programmes
&Children living with HIV/AIDS are facing financial and social problems
Children with HIV have to face social stigma
Therefore, these children should be provided assistance to help them live a better life,& Bhusal added
Children living with HIV/AIDS are prone to chronic illnesses
There is lack of food security at home because their parents too suffer from HIV
Diarrhoea is also associated with HIV
Therefore, these children need assistance for food and health
The allowance given to children suffering from HIV/AIDS needs to be increased to help them live a dignified life, according to Dr Anup
Bastola, chief consultant, HIV expert.
&Since many children with HIV/AIDS don&t have parents or are living with a single parent, the
government must think about building separate rehabilitation centres
The disease pushes the family of a HIV patient further into grinding poverty, and the social stigma attached with the disease adversely
affects the mental health of the patient
The government must come up with proper plans and facilities for such children
As HIV infected children become adults, they need support for higher education too,& Bastola added.
The post ‘Build rehabilitation centres
for children living with HIV/AIDS& appeared first on The Himalayan Times.
