HIV-infected children will receive antiretroviral treatment in better conditions

A section for treating HIV-infected children was opened inside the National Dermatovenerologic Dispensary on November 28. The inauguration of the section forms part of the activities dedicated to the World AIDS Day, which is celebrated on December 1. According to the Dispensary’s chief doctor Andrei Gherman, the children will be now separated from the adult patients, who often influence the children negatively by their behaviour. The rooms have two beds and the parents can stay together with the children. Each room has a toilet, sink and shower, furniture, fridge, electric teapots etc. There was set up a recreational centre with a colour TV set, DVD, tape recorder and toys. The dining-room was renovated. According to the deputy chief doctor Viorel Calistru, the children can stay in the Dispensary for 16 days. Then the treatment is continued at home. The pediatric antiretroviral therapy section was opened with the technical and financial assistance of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Moldova. Forty HIV-infected children were recorded in Moldova on January 1, 2007. Eight of these were from the Transnistrian region. Another seven children infected with HIV were identified afterwards. In all the cases, the children got infected from the mother while a fetus. The hospitalized children receive treatment free of charge. The HIV-infected persons and those that developed AIDS must undergo antiretroviral treatment throughout their life. The treatment enables them to improve their condition and live a socially active life.