Hyderabad:
Even as World AIDS Day is being observed today with slogans reiterating commitment to mitigate the impact of HIV-AIDS, a question mark hangs over the future of thousands of affected and infected children.
A global fund that supported one of the most comprehensive care and support programmes for some 64,000 children is going to stop in March. And the government, instead of scaling up the programme, has not made any plans for where new funds will come from for even the project in operation.
Suvarna's father died of HIV-AIDS a few years ago after which she and her mother tested positive. The eighth class student says she has been living a near-normal life, going to school and playing with her friends, only because the family got tremendous support through a local NGO that counselled them, ensured she gets nutritious food and medicines, and has also sensitised the community. Her worry is that this may not last.
"They are saying the programme will stop. What will happen to us?" asks Suvarna.
Suvarna was getting help through CHAHA, a global fund supported programme that benefits some 64000 affected and infected children in the four high-prevalence states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Manipur. It was launched in July 2007 and is set to end in March next year.
Shortly after the launch of CHAHA, one of the most comprehensive child-centred care and support programmes, NDTV learnt about a HIV positive couple, who said they may now be able to die in relative peace because they were hopeful the programme would support their two children. That was the kind of emotional strength the programme had inspired.
"The children of this country are our responsibility. We can't fail them. And these children require attention the most. With such large numbers, if global fund stopped funding, it should have been imperative on the government to see how do I support them," said Isidore Philips, a child rights activist.