– who are affected, infected by HIV/AIDS
THE Ministry of Education, through its HIV&AIDS Prevention Project of the School Health, Nutrition and HIV/AIDS Unit, on Wednesday, donated a quantity of hygiene kits to the Ministry of Health and the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The donation, including 700 kits of soap, towels, combs, toothpaste and tooth brushes, will be distributed to all the HIV&AIDS treatment sites for orphan and vulnerable children infected and affected by HIV&AIDS, under the supervision of the National Aids Programme Secretariat (NAPS).

Another package of 140 new-born kits of receiving blankets, baby gowns, cloth diapers, pins, socks, hats and soap will be distributed to pregnant mothers at the Georgetown Public Hospital; and HIV/AIDS Focal Point within the Ministry of Education, Janelle Sweatnam, who made the handing over on behalf of Education Minister Shaik Baksh, used the opportunity to distribute few of the kits.

Sweatnam informed Permanent Secretary in the Health Ministry, Hydar Ali, and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Georgetown Public Hospital, Michael Khan, that the initiative is part of a wider programme of her ministry targeting vulnerable children and parents by providing care and support for those affected and infected by HIV&AIDS.

The gesture is reflective of the holistic approach by the Ministry of Education, HIV Project to place equal emphasis on the treatment of the individual as well as the disease.

According to NAPS Programme Manager Dr. Shanti Singh, some 250 students in the school system are HIV positive, and it was only recently at a public forum at the Grand Coastal Inn that Health Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy told the stakeholders that discrimination against anyone, especially children, is evil and should not be tolerated.

The findings of a recent study on HIV-related stigma and discrimination and learning outcomes of children infected and affected by HIV and AIDS in Guyana found that although there is indication of stigma and discrimination against the children, it did not predict how well they will perform in school.

The study was carried out by the Caribbean Child Development Centre (CCDC), University of the West Indies (UWI) Open Campus and the UNESCO Kingston Cluster Office, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the UWI- HIV & AIDS Response Programme.

The study sought to strengthen HIV& AIDS and Education research in the Caribbean in support of evidence-based policies and practices in education on HIV prevention, care, support and treatment.