<p>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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />One Life Experience<br /><br />‘One Life Experience’, organised by World Vision, is a unique way of sensitising society about the living conditions of HIV-infected children.<br /><br />World Vision has created tent-houses of two such individuals, Kiran and Bharathi, who went through untold misery because of their HIV status. <br /><br />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. <br /><br />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.</p>
<p>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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />One Life Experience<br /><br />‘One Life Experience’, organised by World Vision, is a unique way of sensitising society about the living conditions of HIV-infected children.<br /><br />World Vision has created tent-houses of two such individuals, Kiran and Bharathi, who went through untold misery because of their HIV status. <br /><br />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. <br /><br />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.</p>
