At statewide camp, over 300 children test HIV-positive

IN an effort to reach out to AIDS/HIV affected and infected children across the State, the Gujarat State AIDS Control Society (GSACS) recently organised a two-day paediatric camp simultaneously in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Surendranagar, Bhuj, Bhavnagar and Jamnagar districts. Its findings: Of 466 HIV-affected children who attended the camp, 301 were found to be HIV-positive. Blood samples of 288 out of the 301 children were sent in for CD4 testing with 123 kids qualifying for anti-retroviral therapy (ART), said GSACS assistant project director Dr DM Saxena on Monday.

Presently, there are around 65 children undergoing anti-retroviral therapy at ART centres across State, said Saxena. "With more children identified for ART treatment during the camps, this number will jump to 188. ART treatment being expensive, talks are on with the Clinton Foundation and the UNICEF for sponsorship of childrens' journey to and from the nearest ART centre and their food. We have also requested that they sponsor one guardian to accompany each child," he said adding that GSACS will bear the cost of first line of treatment for the children.

The camps assume significance in face of the fact that so far the State has three ART centres - in Ahmedabad, Surat and Rajkot-- and only a segment of HIV positive patients can access them. According to Dr Saxena, this was the first time that such camps were organised in State.

HIV affected children are kids with either one or both parents having AIDS.