Children Vulnerability to HIV/AIDS
Children comprise a demographic segment that is vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. Children with HIV/AIDS face an array of health challenges, including opportunistic diseases, limited access to quality healthcare and diet, especially in poverty-stricken parts of the world (UNICEF, 2013, par.4; Stuart, Amy and Betsy, 2005, par.1). Children with HIV also face stigmatization from the community, which may lead to related health issues such as depression and trauma. This situation necessitates adoption of measures to reduce the vulnerability of children with HIV and promote their health.
Health Promotion Activities
There are various health promotion activities that the community and other stakeholders can adopt to promote health among children who are suffering from HIV/AIDS. To start with, the government and other institutions such as healthcare centers could run HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns targeting the vulnerable children (Kanekar, 2011, p.1). The campaigns could serve to reduce the number of new infections and HIV-related deaths among the susceptible children. Secondly, free counseling and testing services should be availed to the children (Kanekar, 2011, p.1), accompanied by aggressive awareness campaigns on the importance of knowing one’s HIV status for early management of the virus or prevention upon a negative test outcome (Kanekar, 2011, p.10). Thirdly, feeding programs for HIV-positive, vulnerable children could go a long way in promoting their health, especially seeing that a nutritious diet is necessary in the management of the virus. Lastly, establishing community care centers for children suffering from the virus could also help in enhancing their health by providing healthcare and support (Madden et al., 2011, p.542; Stuart et al., 2005, par.1).
Community Services for HIV/AIDS Vulnerable Children
Children suffering from HIV/AISD can benefit from an array of tailored community services. For example, stakeholders in the health and community development sectors could start peer counseling programs where children encourage and interact with fellow children infected with HIV. The counseling programs should be designed to educate and motivate the young patients to live positively, including seeking early medication for opportunistic ailments and adhering to their prescriptions — anti-retroviral drugs (Stuart et al., 2005, par. 1). Professional counseling could also be useful in enlightening the children on how to live responsibly to avoid secondary infections and spread of the virus to uninfected people (Madden et al., 2011, p. 543). Moreover, running fundraising campaigns to finance feeding and healthcare programs for the HIV/AIDS vulnerable children could be highly viable. Lastly, visiting children’s’ homes for young people suffering from the epidemic would be a good community service for this population. Visiting and spending time with the vulnerable children can go a long way in encouraging them to live a positive, responsible life.
Potential Environmental Hazards
HIV-infected children who are vulnerable may be prone to a variety of environmental hazards because they live in poor conditions, making them susceptible to dangers such as bad weather, inadequate and/or poor quality food, negative attitude from the community members, unfriendly government policies and physical issues such as lack of proper housing and care (Sarpong, Mena and Nichols, 2009, p.2041; WHO, 2013, par.3; UNICEF, n.d par.4). This is so especially in developing countries where poverty is rampant. In situations where the children are orphaned, the living conditions could be worse.
In conclusion, children comprise a population that is vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. HIV-positive, vulnerable children need support from the community and other stakeholders to save them from the health and social issues they face each day. Appropriate health promotion activities and community services can go a long way in improving the lives of the vulnerable children.
Works Cited
Kanekar, S. A. (2011). HIV/AIDS Counseling Skills and Strategies: Can Testing and Counseling
Curb the Epidemic? International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2(1): 10-14.
Madden, H.C., Phillips-Howard, P.A., Hargreaves, S. C., Downing, J., Bellis, M. A., Vivancos,
R., Morley, C., Syed, Q. & Cook, P. A. (2011). Access to HIV Community Services by Vulnerable Populations: Evidence from an Enhanced HIV/AIDS Surveillance System. AIDs Care 23(3): 542-549.
Sarpong, D., Mena, L., Tchounwou, P.B. & Nichols, L. (2009). The Effects of Environmental
Factors on Persons Living with HIV/AIDS. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 6(7): 2041-2054.
Stuart, G., Amy, N. & Betsy, F. (2005). Child vulnerability and HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan
Africa: What we Know and What Can be done. Retrieved 10 October, 2013 from http://www.ifpri.org/publication/child-vulnerability-and-hivaids-sub-saharan-africa
UNICEF. (n.d). Providing Care and Support for Orphaned and Vulnerable Children. Retrieved
10 October, 2013 from http://www.unicef.org/mozambique/hiv_aids_2971.html
WHO. (2013). Children Environmental Health. Retrieved 10 October, 2013 from
http://www.who.int/ceh/risks/otherisks/en/index2.html
