HIV positive mother abandons 38-day-old baby at orphanage

COIMBATORE: An HIV positive mother has abandoned her 38 days old baby boy at a private orphanage located at Ramanathapuram here. The baby was handed over to the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) on Wednesday. Doctors there said the child was healthy.

Resident medical officer, CMCH, Soundaravel said they were yet to ascertain if the baby was HIV positive. "We will conduct the tests soon. After that, the baby will be handed over to the child welfare committee. But, we will treat and monitor the child for 18 months. Another set of tests will be conducted then to ascertain if the baby has contracted the disease," he said.

According to Soundaravel, as many as 12 babies were abandoned in the city last year. "They were admitted to Don Bosco Anbu Illam and almost all of them are getting education in government and corporation schools. In 2016, 11 babies had been abandoned," he said and added the cases of HIV positive mothers abandoning their babies were not common in the city.

R Riyaz of orphanage Mercy Home said that the 22-year-old woman had given birth to the child in Theni. Her husband left her as she had been travelling to various cities and staying in orphanages. "Childline sent the woman and the baby to Mercy Home on January 20. On 28, she left the home saying she wanted to visit her family in Pollachi. As she did not return, we informed officials and handed over the baby to the CMCH," Riyaz said.

He said the stigma of HIV was still persistent in the society. "Even rich families abandon children. We have 30 children aged between 5 and 21 in our home. Four months ago, we helped a woman and man, both HIV positive, to get married. They are planning a baby as well. Now there is treatment to ensure HIV negative child for such couple," Riyaz said.

He, however, said seldom does one come forward to adopt abandoned children. "Many have been abandoned after pressure from the society and relatives," Riyaz added.

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