Give a future for 950 Indian kids living with HIV

DONATIONS TOMORROW 3rd DECEMBER WILL ATTRACT A BONUS - PLEASE HELP AGAIN

14 year old Saranya had HIV but only her father knew. Her mother also has HIV and attempted suicide when she found out. Her mother and father are now taking treatment but Saranya is not. Her father said “If my wife found out she may attempt suicide again – I can’t risk that”. In June this year Saranya became critically ill and our team, in consultation with the government counselors, decided to break confidentiality. As a result, Saranya was saved, all three are now on treatment and doing well.

In a population of some 14 million in south India we currently follow up the 464 children with HIV. In the past 6 months seven newly detected children and another 13 who had been ‘lost to follow up’ were newly enrolled. Of 34 children who were irregularly treated, 17 were made regular. There are 10 children refusing treatment altogether, only one of these could be started, and only after he became seriously ill.

290 children were referred for necessary testing and so far 218 took the tests. 23 children on second line therapy were followed up, unfortunately 36 more children are eligible but not getting these drugs due to short supply – the Positive People’s Networks are taking this up. 71 children were treated for immunity related complications such as fever, diarrhea, skin problems and oral thrush, seven were newly treated for tuberculosis.

Our volunteers obtained monthly government support for 264 children and nutritional support for another 221. Educational and other support for 245 children was mobilized from individuals and institutions.

We are following up 234 older adolescents for counseling on safer sex, relationships and premarital issues. These are easy to reach since they are still included in the children’s programme and are well known to us. We have also registered 474 unmarried young adults with HIV, many of whom we don’t know because they were never in our children’s programme. 84 attended formal premarital counseling sessions and many more were counseled informally. There were seven marriages, three to HIV negative spouses, after proper counseling and status disclosure.

Thank you for your past support. You should get our appeal tomorrow, if you follow the link in the appeal and make a donation on 3rd December we will get a bonus.

Thanks again,

John

Mukesh is 16 and has been moving about with his mother and so avoiding regular treatment and schooling - they are both HIV positive. Our volunteers tracked him down to his grandmother’s house, she claimed that mother and son were in a far off place. But one of Mukesh’s friends was listening in and pointed him out - he was in the village all the time! Mukesh told us that his mother had taken him for tests and treatment from time to time but claimed that he didn’t know the reason. Since he had been so hard to find he was told bluntly that he had HIV. He was shocked but soon got over it and his granny was eventually won over. Mukesh has been back on treatment for over a year now and is happy in school. He wants to be a driver.

We are currently working with 451 children - nearly equal numbers of boys and girls. We also work with 474 young adults, these are mostly young men since we find that they need more inputs in order to protect their sexual partners, their spouses or potential spouses, and themselves. All the work takes place in eight Districts of South India.

Among the 451 children, seven are newly identified and include a six month old baby. Apart from the baby, all have been started on treatment. Inevitably some children are irregular in collecting or taking their tablets, of the 34 all but 14 have been motivated to be regular – for now at least! In addition, there are 17 children not on treatment and only one was brought under treatment in the quarter, it is an uphill task. There are 10 children who refuse treatment outright, despite our best efforts. Gradually this number is going down, sadly because they get a serious medical problem which forces them into the system.

23 children are on second line treatment and are specially followed up together with 32 others who may require this treatment in the future. 168 out of 240 children requiring monitoring tests have taken them, this 70% achievement is low and needs to be looked into. Of the 87 children seen in the field with some sort of medical problem 57 were treated, mostly for fever, skin problems, diarrhea or oral thrush – five were diagnosed with tuberculosis were given hospitalized care.

We encourage age-appropriate disclosure of HIV status – best done by the guardian. Of the 74 children who may have inadequate age-related awareness we reached 49 and guardians subsequently disclosed status to seven of them. 175 children received government grant, 185 nutritional support and 202 received educational support this year.

230 adolescents and 474 young adults are under follow up for premarital counselling by volunteers and 78 attended formal premarital counselling sessions – eight were at ‘high risk’. Five marriages have taken place in the reporting period, four to HIV positive spouses.

Thank you so much for your support.

(Names changed and photos are representative)