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Let us help little Anil to live
In response to numerous queries following our story ‘A lone battle’ on the plight of baby Anil* who is HIV Positive, The Sunday Times has decided to launch a fund for his welfare.

Little Anil, whose story we published in the PLUS of June 15 had been abandoned by his mother soon after his birth at the Castle Street Hospital for Women and later handed over to the Commissioner of Probation and Child Care of the Western Province.

He was being cared for in a state home, until repeated bouts of illness and growth deficiency saw him being treated at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital. On being tested he was found to be HIV Positive and needs medication urgently to keep him alive.

The government, unfortunately, does not provide anti-retroviral drugs to keep the HIV virus under control and cases like Anil are in desperate need of help. Now lying at the Mulleriyawa Infectious Diseases Hospital, little Anil's fate is uncertain.

As Commissioner W.M. Ratnasiri says, "The state does not have special homes to look after such a child. Nor does it have trained help in state homes who can cope with a case like this. The government must seriously give thought to putting in place such facilities."

Anil needs help, not tomorrow or next week, but right now, so that he can be given the life-saving drugs to keep the deadly HIV virus at bay. Every donation will be acknowledged and the monies utilized for his medical needs.

The funds will be channelled through the Probation and Child Care authorities.
*Anil's name has been changed to protect his identity.

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