One of the harshest effects of the global AIDS epidemic is the number of orphans it has created, and continues to create. By the end of 2005, it is estimated that more than 15 million children had lost one or more of their parents as a result of AIDS.
Losing a parent is terrible for any child, but children living in India who lose parents to AIDS face unthinkable hardships. Not only have they watched their parents die, but they are stigmatized for having been associated with HIV and AIDS and are often forced to fend for themselves and their siblings. The result is that a growing number of helpless children are facing a cycle of abuse, neglect, stigmatization, malnutrition, poverty and disease.
In addition to the impact of HIV and AIDS as a health issue, in India the repercussions go much further. Children orphaned by AIDS have less chance of gaining an education and getting access to healthcare. Their poverty and vulnerability to exploitation also significantly increases their likelihood of contracting HIV themselves.
No comments:
Post a Comment