PANJIM: Rivona is perhaps too far for a Panjim-centric government or a city-centric civil society to react. But as the State grapples with the questions being raised by some Rivona parents public posturing over admission of orphans, some of whom happen to be HIV positive, to a school being run by Pilar fathers in Rivona, there are concerned, enraged and shocked reactions, at the behavior of these parents.
This posture not only goes against legal laws but moral ones as well. Many working in the field and members of civic society, have reacted sharply to the first identification, then stigmatization and discrimination faced by them.
“As a member of civil society and of an NGO (Positive People) concerned with issues of HIV/AIDS in Goa, I’m extremely disturbed at the plight of the school-children in Rivona, these children are today in a ghastly position: they have had their HIV+ status disclosed so that they are now at the receiving end of discrimination based on prejudice. They are children who were infected by the virus possibly from HIV+ parents, and probably most are orphans too.” says Isabel de Santa Rita Vas, a theatre-person and longtime language teacher.
Dr Rajnanda Desai, Project director Goa State AIDS control society concurs strongly. “Actually HIV does not spread through physical contacts or by breathing. Transmission is through blood and sex and it cannot be spread by any social contact, Desai says and adds, “parents need to understand this fact.”
Vas is extremely upset over the way the whole issue was handled, wondering how so called educated people can behave like this. Parents who are asking for HIV+ children to be kept out of school, have not listened to what is being said over and over again. HIV is not transmitted by casual contact or through the air. If tomorrow, one of their children suffers from heart disease, will they tolerate it if the child is kicked out of school,” she asks.
“The current situation at Rivona would lead to mental trauma for students, who are not aware what is HIV and how it is spread. They are small kids, who are not at fault. They have equal right to live like us in the society,” says Dr Desai.
Peter Borges of Positive people feels that the matter itself should have been handled with more sensitivity.
“As someone who has studied this for 10 years, I say that the issue should have been handled with sensitivity. The sisters could have handled this better. The children could have been scattered. This is sad as even other students are not being allowed to study in regular schools,” he says.
Vas is quite equivocal in saying that all concerned should put their heads together, speak of the fears and listen. “We must or we will have to hang our heads in shame. Let’s do the opposite: Discuss the issue with all concerned and come up with a humane and rational solution,” she says.
