The Hindu : Other States / Orissa News : New-born child of HIV-hit woman adopted

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 07, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Other States

Other States - Orissa

New-born child of HIV-hit woman adopted

Staff Reporter

BERHAMPUR: There are people in rural areas who are ready to fight social stigma related to AIDS and HIV.

A couple from Patikata village of Gosani block in Gajapati district adopted the new born girl child of a mentally retarded HIV positive woman.

Thanks to the timely intervention of doctors of the Paralakhemundi district hospital and administration of Neverapin to the pregnant woman, the child was born without any infection of HIV. Administration of Neverapin had saved the child from getting infected by HIV in the womb.

The family members of this mentally retarded girl of Patikara village had discarded her. And she had fallen prey to a gang rape.

The villagers of Patikata were providing her food for sustenance. When they found that she had become pregnant, with the help of local health workers she was brought to the Paralakhemundi hospital, where she was diagnosed to be HIV positive. Despite attempts by the district administration, the family members of the girl did not show any interest in her or the child in her womb.

But a childless couple of the village, G.Lacheya and his wife G.Rajulamma, who were among the few behind the sustenance of the girl at the village came forward to adopt the new born child disregarding the social stigma attached.

They officially adopted the child and took her with them. But the mother of the child is yet to be accepted by her family.

She is still roaming around after getting discharged from the hospital. The district administration has deputed a health worker to keep watch on her. Efforts are on to send her to a mental asylum with the help of district administration, said social worker, Pradip Nayak.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States