Children with HIV get financial aid
Print Edition
鈥淎untie, is this a plane?鈥 asked Xiaoyue (pseudonym), pointing at a train.
The mistake was understandable: the train journey to Huzhou was the first time she鈥檚 traveled more than two hours from home. The 5-year-old has been living in poverty since she was abandoned at birth.
Xiaoyue was adopted at 2 months old by two farmers living in a remote village in southwest Guizhou Province.
At 2, she was confirmed as HIV-positive. After the diagnosis, neighbors tried to convince her adoptive parents to give her up 鈥 but the couple refused.
Guizhou鈥檚 civil affairs department recently teamed up with the provincial children鈥檚 welfare and adoption center to help 22 HIV-positive children like Xiaoyue realize their dream. For her, this meant a trip her aunt in Huzhou in east China鈥檚 Zhejiang province.
Prior to the visit, Xiaoyue鈥檚 longest journey from home was to the provincial capital Guiyang, where she got a health check at the hospital.
During the nine-hour ride, Xiaoyue only slept for half an hour. She was so excited she sang, recited poems and shared snacks with the volunteers who accompanied her along the trip.
鈥淪he is 1.2 meters tall, appearing no different from healthy children,鈥 said Li Meiying, a volunteer with province鈥檚 welfare program for HIV/AIDS affected children.
鈥淲ith proper medical treatment, she could grow up, get married and have her own children.鈥
Guizhou began the program in 2012 to promote medicare services and low-income allowance for HIV-positive children.
Each month one child is entitled to receive 600 (US$93) to 1,000 yuan from the provincial government.
China has reported a total of 575,000 HIV-positive cases at the end of October.
The Chinese Center For Disease Control and Prevention estimates the number of HIV-positive people in China could account for as much as 0.06 percent of China鈥檚 total population.
In 2012, China enacted a policy to have all HIV-positive children receive the same social benefits 鈥 such as a monthly stipend, free schooling, and medical care 鈥 as the country鈥檚 orphans. More than 5,200 children nationwide benefited from the policy.
As a result, Xiaoyue receives 600 yuan a month from the central government. Compared to her family鈥檚 monthly income of 2,000 yuan, the small subsidy helps immensely.
Her aunt also sends money, providing more than 40,000 yuan over the years.
Despite their financial troubles, Xiaoyue鈥檚 parents pay strict attention to Xiaoyue鈥檚 health. They administer her medicine each day. They even go as far as to warm apples before she eats them, fearing she might fall ill.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
