HYDERABAD: There are no state government homes which are designated to accommodate and take care of HIV-positive children who are orphans, semi-orphans or abandoned.
The Telangana State Women Welfare, Child Welfare and Disabled Welfare department relies on NGOs which specialises in taking care of children with the infection.
“There is no dedicated home meant for children with HIV. But we have government children home for girls, and juvenile welfare home for boys. Usually, these cases (HIV positive orphan, semi-orphan and abandoned) are forwarded to NGOs,” said a higher official from the Telangana Child and Disabled Welfare department.
Though children between the age group of zero and six are accommodated at Shishu Vihars, there are no government homes for children aged above six years. The case of 14-year-old boy who struggled for accommodation after death of his parents is not a lone case as NGOs in the city said that they get at least three to four requests a month to admit HIV-infected children.
In a span of one year ( 2016 to January 1-2017), as many as 300 children have been diagnosed with HIV infection, said Mujtaba Hasan Askari, president of Helping Hand Foundation who filed an RTI regarding the issue.
Though there are 35 government children homes in Telangana, none is dedicated for terminally ill or those who require special medical attention.
No clarity on deadline
Plans have just begun at Child and Disabled Welfare department to address the issue but there is no deadline or clarity on when the cases can be accommodated at government homes. Meanwhile, the officials of the Women and Child Welfare department discussed the measures to be initiated during a meeting held on Monday.
A higher official said that deadlines, detailed plans are yet to be worked out. Apart from contacting NGOs, the only help that the department extends is sponsorship for HIV positive or other children.
Joint director of the Women and Child Welfare department, KRS Lakshmi Devi said that they provide `1,000 to `2,000 scholarship if there is a guardian. However, this is not provided to NGOs which are taking care of the HIV positive children.