Foster an HIV Child
Would you like to foster a HIV child?
Contact Info: Prakong Vithayasai, M.D.
Support the Children Foundation
Tel/Fax 053-408424
www.Support-the-Children.orgIn 1992, the Support the Children Foundation (SCF) was founded in Chiang Mai to demonstrate to GOs and NGOs how to give tender loving care to 24 HIV orphans (at each time).
Antiretroviral drugs (ARV drugs) were started as monotherapyà bitherapy à triple therapy, including quadritherapy, during the past 5 years.Dr. Prakong Vithayasai is not only trying to get funding (˜2.7 million baht/year) for ARV drugs, but also fighting with various obstacles, such as schools, society etc., to treat these unfortunate victims as normal children.
After a long battle to stop HIV/AIDS (since 1992) HIV/AIDS, Dr.Prakong Vithayasai is now 57 years old, and she is trying to find 24 kind and rich families to foster 24 HIV children of SCF .
Mass media : Do you really think that your dream will come true?
Dr.Prakong : I think so. At the beginning I have tried to find 24 kind families from European countries, USA, Canada, Australia etc. where ARV drugs are available. But then I have learnt that the law in those countries will not allow the adoption of HIV children.
So I started to find 24 kind and rich foster parents instead. I certainly hope that in this world, I will find 24 kind and rich families to foster these unfortunate children. Do you think so?
Mass media : I certainly agree with you that there are more than 24 kind and rich families in the world.
If you found these special families, then they will ask you how long the HIV children will live?
Dr.Prakong : If the kids get tender loving care from their own families and they are continuously followed by an HIV specialist, I think that the kids will be grow up like normal human beings.
Mass media : Most of the people think that HIV children will die shortly. Would you please clear up this point?
Dr.Prakong : The first 5 years of SCF was tough , 25 children died and 24 children turned out to be (HIV seronegative) affected children, who were adopted out to various countries.
But after antiretroviral drugs were started properly, the HIV children are healthy and grow up like normal children.
Mass media : I heard that HIV can get ARV resistance, so the children will die shortly.
Dr.Prakong : Yes, ARV resistance can develop, especially in uncompliant cases. Anyway, if ARV resistance developed, at the present there are more new drugs available that can take care of this problem. But all SCF HIV children are compliant.
Mass media : Can the HIV kids stay in the same room with others?
Dr.Prakong : Yes, the HIV will not spread to the others by playing, teaching, kissing or doing various activities. The HIV will transmit only by sexual contact or blood.
Mass media : How long do you think it will take to get 24 foster parents?
Dr.Prakong : I don't know, but I think that it should not be too long, because I think that there are a lot of good mass media like you spreading the word to the other mass media. Now, the world is globalized. It's true, right?
Mass media : How can the fostered family contact you?
Dr.Prakong :By Tel/Fax 66-053-408424 e-mail pvithaya@med.cmu.ac.th
Address Support the Children Foundation
18/208 Chotananivade Village 2 Soi 6
Potharam Rd., Changpuek
Chiang Mai 50300, Thailand
Mass media : What are you going to do when 24 HIV children are already fostered?
Dr.Prakong : I am going to sell ¾ of the houses to get the money in order to do 2 things :-
1. Continue the outreach project of SCF.
- Giving education fee for more HIV infected and affected children in Chiang Mai (at present we support more than 400 cases).
- Create more in come generating projects for the parents of HIV
infected/affected children under SCF Care.- Created more school lunch programs.
2. Giving more time to give HIV/AIDS educations to various groups, especially
- The mass media.
- Politicians , high ranking officials, local governors.
- Religious leaders.
- To help Thailand to slow down the HIV/AIDS again.
- To do DOTS therapy to stop tuberculosis, especially multidrugs resistant tuberculosis.
Mass media : I hope that your dream will come true shortly.
Dr.Prakong : I hope so, Thank you and good byeVisit Support the Children
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