As many as 50 children living with Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) in Tiruchi district had fun and frolic and a sumptuous lunch under the auspices of the Network for Positive People in Tiruchi (NPT) at the Shanmugha Nagar Welfare Society hall on Sunday.
They participated in an on-the-spot drawing contest and a singing competition as part of the event, meant to be a celebration of Children’s Day, and a precursor to the observance of World AIDS Day on Sunday. HIV children have a right to education and they should focus on their studies, A. Thamil, NPT director, told the assembled children. Not declaring the fact that you have HIV at school is a fundamental right, she said advising the youngsters to alert the authorities if they faced discrimination from their teachers or peers.
Addressing the gathering, district programme manager (DPM) R. Senthilkumar of the Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society (TANSACS) said that ensuring equality to people living with the disease was important.
This sort of celebration tells the world that HIV-infected children are equal to normal kids in every field. The district is reported to have over 8,000 HIV positive people getting treatment in government hospitals and primary health centres.
Dr. J. Godwin Premsingh, nodal director, Childline, spoke on the significance of positive thinking, and encouraged the children to nurture self-confidence in whatever they did.
PatPraising the participants for their drawing and singing skills, Mrs. S. Usha, District Social Welfare Officer, advised the children to make space for a moment of happiness in their lives with the help of their imagination. By making a mark through your education and extra-curricular achievements, you should aim at being a role model to the society, she said, and advised them to start preparations early for a successful career.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Ms. Manikkathai, district programme co-ordinator, Karnataka Health Promotion Trust, a body that works on initiatives related to HIV/ AIDS and reproductive health, said that though there were many schemes available for children affected or infected by the disease, they were not reaching them entirely.
It is important to package education, nutrition, child protection and treatment services effectively so that government programmes make an impact, she said.
