AIDS society to provide micro nutrients to patients

Announcing this at the programme, ‘One Life Experience’, an innovative campaign to sensitise community on HIV/AIDS among children, here on Tuesday, KSAPS project director R R Jannu said the nutrients were hitherto provided only to children infected with HIV. Now, the programme will be expanded to cover even adults.

KSAPS and NACO (National AIDS Control Organisation) are providing anti-retroviral therapy  to over 3000 OVCs (orphaned vulnerable children) in the State. “The number of OVCs is on a steady rise and their condition is especially dismal in North Karnataka. OVCs from districts like Bagalkot, Bijapur, Belgaum, Koppal and Raichur are among the worst affected,” he said.

He said there was a need for more public awareness programmes, since many of the HIV patients, including children, were discriminated against even by doctors treating them.

One Life Experience

‘One Life Experience’, organised by World Vision, is a unique way of sensitising society about the living conditions of HIV-infected children.

World Vision has created tent-houses of two such individuals, Kiran and Bharathi, who went through untold misery because of their HIV status.

The organisation is also planning to replicate the campaign in schools, colleges, government organisations and malls in the City where the community footfall is high.

It is estimated that 70,000 children below the age of 15 are living with HIV in India and 21,000 children are infected every year through parent-to-child transmission.