Worldwide, it is estimated that more than 15 million children under 18 have been orphaned as a result of AIDS. More than 12 million of these children live in Sub-Saharan Africa, where it is currently estimated that 9% of all children have lost at least one parent to AIDS. By 2010, there will be over 25 million Aids Orphans. That is more than the populations of New York and Washington states combined.

The result? A mass, global pandemic of children with no caretaker. This means no education, no food, no future. Most places where the AIDS epidemic rages are concurrently suffering from extreme poverty, so relatives or neighbors face many obstacles in attempting to absorb these orphans.

Institutional and governmental approaches to the orphan crises, including overcrowded orphanges with inadequate staff, have received much criticism for the arguably inhumane and detached care provided for the children. But with a lack of home-based care systems operable in many of these countries, AIDS orphans have little choice. Some may end up sifting through trash to survive or migrating to larger cities. Others might be forced into indetured servitude to a neighbor for little or no recompense. And with AIDS spreading, from war, rape, unsafe sex and dirty needles, the plight of millions of children is held in the balance.

Many children become infected from an HIV-positive mother during pregnancy or through breastfeeding.  There is growing evidence that providing infected mothers with antiretroviral drugs reduceds significantly the mother to child transmission of the virus.

The following link is an interesting initiative in Haiti, focusing on preventing children from becoming orphans in the first place by providing HIV-posititve mothers with ARV drugs so they can raise their own children:

www.pbs.org/wgbh/rxforsurvival/series/champions/paul_farmer.html

Taking preventative measures early on such as this is just one step of many needed in the long fight against AIDS and its devastating consequences.

In India, where the AIDS pandemic has yet to hit, it is estimated that it will be even worse than what has ravaged Africa. Clearly the problem is getting worse, not better, and the ones who are affected the most are beautiful, precious, innocent children.

If our generation does not speak up for these children, who will?

• 04/12/2007 09:50
  • 03/28/2007 04:21
  • 03/20/2007 12:50
  • 03/20/2007 12:38
  • 03/20/2007 12:36
  • 03/20/2007 12:29