SHILLONG: There are 112 children below the age of 15 years in Meghalaya who are living with HIV (CLHIV) till August 2016 as per a State report.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Iadaphiralang Wriah, Assistant Director, Care Support and Treatment, informed that the children are living a normal life.
“The children are regularly given the anti-retroviral therapy (ART) at the ART centre at Shillong Civil Hospital. They are living a normal life and going to school regularly. However, the children have stunted growth and their growth is monitored at the ART centre,” she said.
She added that the ART centre maintains a chart to monitor the growth of the children. When asked whether the children faced discrimination in school, she said no such cases have come up till date.
“Some teachers know that their students are suffering from HIV and it is not necessary that all should come to know,” Wriah added.
Fortunately for the children, their parents/ guardians are caring. “The children would ask their parents as to why they have to take medicines. However, once they reach maturity they will understand. We have counseled the parents/guardians on how to deal with the children,” she said.
She informed that children within 3 years need to start the ART treatment.
Meanwhile, Christine Marbaniang, Project Director, Meghalaya AIDS Control Society, informed that there has been no AIDS related death in the State but people had reportedly died due to co-infection.
She said, “A person may die from co-infection, for instance tuberculosis and HIV co-infection is when people are suffering from either latent or active TB disease or HIV infection. Hence, strict adherence to ART to prevent development of HIV infection is mandatory.”
