I was reading in the paper about children with AIDS living in the hospital because noone wanted to bring them home. This is so sad, Lord knows I cant take them in because I'm not in a state financially to provide for them nor am I ready for children and I am leaving soon.

But this just isnt right, we have to provide for children and take care of them.

I know the article only spoke about three kids being in that situation but can you imagine the others out there?

Why dont we have an AIDS home for children?

Why isnt Melanie Griffin speaking up- I remember her going to that UNICEF conference (s) which leads me to believe what information she is not utilising that she brought back with her?

where is the Bahamian church in this when they really should be meddling they arent? "suffer little children"

This would have been one program money from the Bahamas Lottery can implement...

You know our society has fallen apart when we dont look out for children, we have to do better.

if it makes you feel any better, the aids children are paired up with aids adults at the ward as they receive their various aids therapies ... no one "lives" there for more than two weeks at a time.

my best friend from eleuthera, who passed away from aids in 2001, spent quite a bit of time at pmh's aids ward for weeks at a time getting azt cocktails and such, and while living at the ward she had two "kids" that she took care of on a regular basis. i visited her at the ward pretty frequently, and really think that dr. perry gomez is to be congratulated for having put together such a wise program, which is quite different from the segregated aids setups i have seen in the usa and europe.

if it makes you feel any better, the aids children are paired up with aids adults at the ward as they receive their various aids therapies ... no one "lives" there for more than two weeks at a time.
my best friend from eleuthera, who passed away from aids in 2001, spent quite a bit of time at pmh's aids ward for weeks at a time getting azt cocktails and such, and while living at the ward she had two "kids" that she took care of on a regular basis. i visited her at the ward pretty frequently, and really think that dr. perry gomez is to be congratulated for having put together such a wise program, which is quite different from the segregated aids setups i have seen in the usa and europe.

I remember going there one time a while back when i had a cousin in there and seeing a little girl who has sores from head to toe but she was with her mother...Thank you my Bahamian sister for the info I didnt know...but still that's not enough they are children they need somewhere they need stability...not some two week stint like they are drug addicts in a detox center or convicted criminals in a half way house...their innocence is being stolen from them b/c of lack of care and concern...we need more AIDS awareness for prenatal mothers so that this doesnt happen anymore, we need more AIDS awareness period to reinforce how the disease is contracted...we have to do better...

given how conservative bahamians are when it comes to AIDS, i don't see anyone lining up to work as a sup nurse or caretaker in a government run facility, i'm afraid. aids care is ... careful .... given the potential contagion of the disease, and pmh is doing the best it can with a community mindset that suggests that AIDS is somehow the wrath of god. until bahamians as a community can get their church *** selves up close and personal with this very real disease, i do not see any widespread changes happening soon.

at least nassau has pmh. :hammer:

for nearly fifteen years (my friend contracted HIV back in 1989 after a heroin binge), we out islanders had to smuggle in whatever azt cocktails and other treatment drugs we could muster up (thank you, doctors without borders) for all of our friends similarly afflicted.

we even dared immigration to arrest us, telling them in advance when the flight would arrive with the needed drugs. we warned them that if they arrested us, we would call a press conference to call attention to the fact that our so-called out island social workers weren't even being equipped with an adequate supply of aspirin, much less caregiving drugs for the treatment of AIDS.

given how conservative bahamians are when it comes to AIDS, i don't see anyone lining up to work as a sup nurse or caretaker in a government run facility, i'm afraid. aids care is ... careful .... given the potential contagion of the disease, and pmh is doing the best it can with a community mindset that suggests that AIDS is somehow the wrath of god. until bahamians as a community can get their church *** selves up close and personal with this very real disease, i do not see any widespread changes happening soon.

at least nassau has pmh. :hammer:

for nearly fifteen years (my friend contracted HIV back in 1989 after a heroin binge), we out islanders had to smuggle in whatever azt cocktails and other treatment drugs we could muster up (thank you, doctors without borders) for all of our friends similarly afflicted.

we even dared immigration to arrest us, telling them in advance when the flight would arrive with the needed drugs. we warned them that if they arrested us, we would call a press conference to call attention to the fact that our so-called out island social workers weren't even being equipped with an adequate supply of aspirin, much less caregiving drugs for the treatment of AIDS.

medicines san frontiers? my dept chair had a sign up in his office (I guess the organization did phenominal worker in his homeland) that's why I know about it...there is even a journalist group without boarders...Bahamians get the sense that we dont need the international aid because of our realtive wealth but we have major social issues that are plaguing our nation...really brought on by neglect and an uncaring and selfish attitude.we have a lot of sensitivity training to do...I commend you for the benevolence you showcased to your loved ones...when people reveal their AIDS status they really find out who their true friends are...God Bless you.

btw, in case any of yinna misunderstood, i forgot to mention that during those years of openly bringing in the azt cocktails, not ONCE did we get any grief from the immigration officials we warned in advance of their arrival. time and time again, these guys were very supportive of what they saw to be a very painful time in our friend(s) lives.

i think that they were just relieved that something, anything, SOMEBODY was getting some care and attention, ya know? i swear to god, for a while there, it seemed as though every fifth person came down with HIV. and as long as the afflicted person was poor, people felt somehow suited to ignore the issue. suck teet.

once people like my girlfriend from more middle class families started getting it too, though, institutions like the church and local clinics started paying more attention.

btw, in case any of yinna misunderstood, i forgot to mention that during those years of openly bringing in the azt cocktails, not ONCE did we get any grief from the immigration officials we warned in advance of their arrival. time and time again, these guys were very supportive of what they saw to be a very painful time in our friend(s) lives.
i think that they were just relieved that something, anything, SOMEBODY was getting some care and attention, ya know? i swear to god, for a while there, it seemed as though every fifth person came down with HIV. and as long as the afflicted person was poor, people felt somehow suited to ignore the issue. suck teet.
once people like my girlfriend from more middle class families started getting it too, though, institutions like the church and local clinics started paying more attention.

well aint that something!

thanks for shedding more light on how family islanders are so neglected b/c of the nassaucentric hog view of The Bahamas. a national disgrace

I understand the part about immigration turning a blind eye to your drug dealing (pun intended) but why would they have a problem with it...is it because you guys werent paying customs on the drugs?

I know NPCC [New Providence Community Center] is building homes for AIDs patients, orphans, and other affected by the virus. It's not yet started but, I believe should be started sometime this year. They have donated the land to the AIDs Foundation, I believe. I will also be helping build the homes. :]