Are the WLVI'S are happy because of their CLHIV's on Mother's DAy?
Tarit Chakraborty
Dear Forum,
In the United States, Mother's Day is an annual holiday celebrated on the second Sunday in May. Mother's Day recognizes mothers, motherhood and maternal bonds in general, as well the positive contributions that they make to society.
Are the mother’s are really happy in their home in India? When she is HIV Positive and her child is living with HIV and suffering in Malnutrition.
The UN estimates that 2.1 million children die before reaching the age of 5 year- four every minute-mostly from preventable illness such as diarrhea, typhoid, malaria, measles and pneumonia. Every Day ,1000, Indian children die because of diarrhea.
More than 1.8 million children under 5 die in India every year due to preventable and treatable causes like diarrhoea and pneumonia. Many of them could have survived if they were given basic medicine in time. Simple practices like exclusive breastfeeding would ensure that fewer children die each year. We work to ensure that every child born has a chance to live beyond their fifth birthday!
Background Anemia and poor nutrition have been previously described as independent risk factors for death among HIV-infected children. We sought to describe nutritional status, anemia burden and HIV disease correlates among infected children in India.
Methods We analyzed retrospective data from 248 HIV-infected children aged 1–12 years attending three outpatient clinics in South India (2004–2006). Standard WHO definitions were used for anemia, HIV staging and growth parameters. Statistical analysis included chi square, t tests, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.
Results The overall prevalence of anemia (defined as hemoglobin < 11 gm/dL) was 66%, and 8% had severe anemia (Hb < 7 gm/dL). The proportion of underweight and stunted children in the population was 55% and 46% respectively. Independent risk factors of anemia by multivariate analysis included the pre-school age group (age younger than 6 years) (OR: 2.87; 95% CI: 1.45, 5.70; p < 0.01), rural residence (OR: 12.04; 95% CI: 5.64, 26.00; p < 0.01), advanced HIV disease stage (OR: 6.95; 95% CI: 3.06, 15.79; p < 0.01) and presence of stunting (Height-for-age Z Score < -2) (OR: 3.24; 95% CI: 1.65, 6.35; p < 0.01). Use of iron/multivitamin supplementation was protective against risk of anemia (OR: 0.44; 95% CI: 0.22, 0.90; p = 0.03). Pulmonary tuberculosis was an independent risk factor in multivariate analysis (OR: 3.36; 95% CI: 1.43, 7.89; p < 0.01) when correlated variables such as HIV disease stage and severe immunodeficiency, and nutritional supplement use were not included. Use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) was associated with a reduced risk of anemia (OR: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.16, 0.53; p < 0.01). No significant association was found between anemia and gender, cotrimoxazole, or ART type (zidovudine versus stavudine).
Conclusion The high prevalence and strong interrelationship of anemia and poor nutrition among HIV-infected children in India, particularly those living in rural areas underscores the need for incorporating targeted nutritional interventions during national scale up of care, support and treatment among HIV-infected children. (Source-http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2702283/)
In this situation how a Mother can be happy? When her child is at risk. No means to celebrate such kind of mother’s day in India.
Thou India struggles to reduce its high prevalence of child malnutrition.
India's "unacceptably high" levels of child malnutrition are a "national shame", Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Tuesday, adding that almost half the children in the country were still under-weight despite two decades of rapid economic growth.(Source:- http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/01/11/child-malnutrition-in-india-a-national-s-idINDEE80A03F20120111)
It is my request to central govt. to look into this matter seriously (thou they are doing) to stop the death of a single child when that child is immune compromised because of HIV. Ultimately they are also the future of India. Thanks and Regards,
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