MY DREAM- A PLHIV ADOLESCENT

In the interaction session last week on the adolescent clinic day, each adolescent wrote a letter about their dreams and reasons for such a dream. A PLHIV adolescent wrote this;

"When I grow up I want to be a school director; start a school for children with HIV, with a doctor, nurse and counsellor as good as the ones at my clinic. I will make sure the sick bay is always open for the children to take their ARVs and health workers always present to treat the sick children."

Reason: This will help children on ARV to complete school and get jobs like others.

During a one on one discussion of the letter, the adolescent shared the following

• My school has only one nurse who comes only in the morning. She also doesn't know about ARVs.
• We are allowed to take ARVs in the morning only. So other students know that whoever keeps going to the sick bay every morning is automatically HIV positive. So we sometimes miss drugs.
• Some teachers when they find out that you take ARVs they mock us and talk about us in class.
• Some students don't want to play, eat or sit on the same desk with us.

All adolescents have dreams irrespective of health status however, little has been done to support children and adolescents with special health needs. The stigma and discrimination they experience while at school shatters the dreams of the majority, while the resilient minority dream of helping the future.

What of now!!!!!!!