Build homes for HIV-positive kids: Dr H V T Swamy,

Mysuru: Doctors and volunteers working with the HIV positive have called for the establishment of government homes for the care of HIV positive children, who have lost their parents to the disease. 

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle on the eve of World AIDS Day, Dr H V T Swamy, who has been treating HIV patients free of cost for the past 19 years at his Asha Kirana Hospital in Mysuru, says despite the measures taken by the government to prevent mother to child transmission of the disease several are giving birth to HIV positive children. 

"We are treating 80 children, who are HIV positive, at our hospital alone. Ninety per cent of them have lost their HIV positive parents and  are living with relatives. Though there are a few private homes in Mysuru, Mangaluru, Bengaluru, Mandya, Tumakuru and Belagavi among other districts for such children, there are no  dedicated government care homes for these children, " he pointed out.

According to Dr Swamy, with Anti- Retroviral Therapy (ART) now being started immediately after diagnosis of HIV, the transfer of infection from male to female has reduced to one per cent, and from female to male to  0.6 percent. "But despite taking measures to prevent mother to child transmission, it is seen in over 2 per cent of the cases," he said.

Going by Dr Ravi P, Mysuru district's AIDS prevention and control officer,  among the 48 HIV positive mothers screened in 2017-18, four  gave birth to children, who tested positive for the disease despite measures taken to prevent mother to child transmission. 

“And of the 20 mothers, who tested positive for HIV in 2018-19, one gave birth to a baby , which tested positive for the disease despite the precautions taken. As many as110 children are presently being treated for HIV in Mysuru alone," he said.