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 situation. 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.