HIV+ kids refused by orphanage in Gujarat

An orphanage in Gandhidham in Kutch district of Gujarat has asked two minor boys to leave after they tested positive for HIV, national daily Hindustan Times have reported.

The brothers, 6 and 9 years of age, were brought by their maternal uncle to the Jeevan Prabhat orphanage, run by the local Arya Samaj.

Since the boys were constantly falling ill, doctors recommended that they be tested for the HIV virus. Alarmed by the positive results, the Arya Samaj authorities contacted their uncle who refused to take any responsibility.

However, the orphanage refused to shelter the boys who were finally handed over to a local NGO, the Kutch Network of Positive People (KNPP). They are now living with a volunteer.

"Children aged from 4 to 16 years live here. The others might get infected by the two boys. We just didn't want to take a risk," Vachonidhi Arya of the Gandhidham Arya Samaj, explained.

The orphanage houses 162 children orphaned by the 2001 Gujarat quake. "Our orphanage is not a project for the care of HIV positive people," he added.

KNPP president Uma Shanker Pandey said the boys' mother passed away a few years ago and their father was mentally unstable and unable to take care of them.

The NGO is now trying to get bigger agencies to arrange for their medical and daily care.