Tista Sengupta

tista.ju@gmail.com

MONSTER THAT DEVOURS CHILDREN

Twelve-year-old Abishek is tormented by fever, cough, diarrhea and acute pain. He is not alone. Two-year-old Ramesh and four-year-old Akash and six-year-old John are tormented, too. All have one thing in common AIDS. They are among the hundred children living in Mukta Jeevan (Veloli, Asangaon) on the Mumbai- Nasik Road, and Ish Krupa (Naya Jeevan) on the highway immediately after Shahapur crossing.

These flowering children, with twinkling eyes and singing and smiling whenever they can, greet visitors. When they hear ‘Doctor Uncle is coming,’ they ran to meet him. “I wish I had more than 10 fingers,’’ says Dr Alan Alappat, who visits them at least twice a year. ‘‘My heart goes out to those children who are unable to come to me because they are bed-ridden with high fever or diarrhea. I try my best to cheer them up.

‘‘They are fond of talking about the movies they watch on TV; John complaining Akash fights with him all the time, Sunita coaxing me to scold Ramesh for being naughty. I love their beaming smiles, each one trying to push the other to come to me.

‘‘The parents of these children died of AIDS, a few in their last stages. Sister Jayshree is their
mother, bathing them, clothing them and serving food to them. These children need extra care
since they have no resistance. That is why HIV/AIDS positive persons are vulnerable to any
disease.

‘‘Last June, I got a call from the Sister saying the children wanted to play in the rain. I bought 25 umbrellas and raincoats and sent them to Mukta Jeevan. Soon we got the message: “The children are dancing and playing in the rain”.

‘‘We cannot cure these children; they will soon die! We cannot give them a golden tomorrow. But at least, we can give them a dignified life today.

‘‘The 13-year- old Lakhan spoke on the World AIDS Day: “ Please don’t make the mistake my parents made! This message is for society at large: Do not indulge in premarital, extra- marital and clandestine sex.

‘‘I thank God for giving me good friends who support me in this endeavour.’’

Dr. Alan Alappat
28405117 28072966

TIPS ABOUT AIDS

Aquired means not inborn but passed from one person to another; it could be from mother to child.
Immune means relating to body’s immune system which provides protection from disease causing germs.
Deficiency means lack of response by the immune system to germs.
Syndrome means signs and symptoms of one or more diseases.

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, which attacks and, overtime, destroys the body’s immune system that leads to AIDS.

Symptoms of HIV infection are severe unexplained loss of weight; common diseases like long standing cough, fevers, loose motions, swollen glands not being cured and relieved with medications.

Aids brings in severe and oftener attacks of Tuberculosis, Pneumonia, Herpes, Types of Cancer.
AIDS virus is found in body fluids e.g. semen, vaginal secretion, blood and breast milk of infected persons.

Window period is the time that the body takes to produce measurable amounts of antibodies after getting infection of HIV, this period varies from 2 to 12 weeks or may be longer.
Period between infection with HIV and the beginning of signs and symptoms related to AIDS varies from 6 months to 8 years or more.

Period between full blown AIDS and death may be as short as 6 months to as long as 2 years or more.

HIV is transmitted in 4 common ways:
(1)Unprotected heterosexual or homosexual intercourse with an HIV infected person.
(2) HIV infected blood transfusion.
(3)Sharing of needles, syringes, shaving razors, toothbrushes or any skin piercing instruments or equipment used by HIV infected person which could have been contaminated with infecting body fluids.
(4)HIV infected mother to infant, during pregnancy, delivery and breast milk.

Blood tests: Elisa Test (primary confirmation) …Western Blot Test (final confirmation)
HIV is not transmitted by air, water, foods, toilets, urinals, swimming pools, cutlery, glasses, cups, coughing, sneezing, sitting together, touching, shaking hands, pets, mosquitoes and other insects.

There are no drugs to cure AIDS, but anti-retroviral drugs to delay effects of AIDS virus and thus give sizeable protection to AIDS patients. Many of the diseases associated with AIDS can be treated successfully.