Kerala HC notice to School, PTA on HIV-affected children

Kochi, Jun 28 (UNI) The Kerala High Court today issued notices to the Mar Dionysius Lower Primary School, Pampady, and its Parent Teacher Association (PTA) on a public interest petition seeking continued education for five HIV positive children admitted in the school earlier.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice H L Dattu and Justice K T Sankaran, while directing that the notices be despatched through a special messenger, posted the case for further hearing to July ten.

The court direction came following a petition filed by the Thiruvananthapuram-based Foundation for Integrated Research and Mental Health, which sought that five HIV positive children admitted to the school earlier be allowed to continue their education and not be discriminated against.

The children, inmates of Asha Kiran orphanage, had been admitted to the school last year after the intervention of state government and the NGO. However, when the school reopened after the summer holidays this month, the children were denied entry.

The petitioner sought a direction to the state government to prevent inhuman discrimination and denial of fundamental rights to the innocent children by enacting a legislation for the purpose.

It also sought healthcare facilities, including anti-retroviral medicines for all HIV positive patients in the state.

UNI