Santhosh's ramblings

Every other day a 12 to 13 year old boy walks in, mostly alone, but sometimes accompanied by his younger brother, who is about 7 -8, visiting many of the families in our campus, taking orders for chicken. He is our chicken supplier! He was walking in and my first reaction was – how can this boy, who is less than 14 be doing the work of an adult. My last few years of experience with “right based responses”, “advocacy” on “Child labour” and such related issues, which I had opportunity to be part of  was rekindled and I was asking around – how can we allow this to happen! How can we even allow this boy to come into the campus? We should put an end to this! Till 2 days back when I took a walk outside the campus and saw his “shop”. His shop was – a trolley (Tela Gadi) on which a middle aged man was cleaning and cutting chicken. And he and his brother, was the home delivery system. Possibly the person who was cutting and cleaning was his father – I am yet to talk to him. And for him...

One of our doctors from the ANC clinic called yesterday in the middle of the OPD. She had an HIV positive lady at the clinic in 39 th week of pregnancy, who needed to be admitted for elective LSCS. A decision had to be taken regarding treatment. Over next few minutes we discussed the plans and decided to meet with the lady and her relatives in the afternoon. At about four, she came to us, and we stood away from the crowd and started talking to her. She had come alone, which was unusual for a 39 week pregnant woman in this part of the country. You would have the mother-in-law, sister-in-law and the brother-in-law with them even if the husband is not! When we asked her about people who have come with her, she said she has come alone. Husband – she told he is working in a place about 4 to 5 hours away. Then the story tumbled out. She knew she was Positive, her husband also is positive. No one else in the family knows. The only way to keep this within them two was to come alone to the ho...