These children at an orphanage in New Delhi are infected with HIV.<br/> <br />Here at least they're free of the social stigma attached to the virus.<br/> <br />Children living with HIV in India are often rejected by orphanages.<br/> <br />Those who have family members with HIV are often segregated at school or simply expelled.<br/> <br />Some doctors refuse to treat or even touch children with HIV.<br/> <br />For the children at this orphanage life is at least a little easier.<br/> <br />SOUNDBITE: UNIDENTIFIED CHILD LIVING WITH HIV SAYING (Hindi):<br/> <br />"I have very good relations with everyone over here and I help with the medicines. I talk to Madhu and I also help to welcome the people who come here at reception."<br/> <br />Rights activist Angali Gopalan who runs the orphanage says prejudices can affect the youngsters deeply.<br/> <br />SOUNDBITE: ANGALI GOPALAN, HIV/AIDS ACTIVIST, SAYING (English):<br/> <br />"You have to ensure that you work at two levels: one is with the school itself and the other is with the kids themselves because, you know, self-hatred and not feeling good about yourself is so linked to being of...to living with HIV."<br/> <br />India's battle against HIV over the past decade is bringing results.<br/> <br />UNAIDS statistics show the rate of new infections fell by more than half between 2001 and 2009.<br/> <br />But UNAIDS country coordinator, Professor Charles Gilks, says the nation shouldn't be too quick to pat itself on the back.<br/> <br />SOUNDBITE: PROFESSOR CHARLES GILKS, UNAIDS COUNTRY COORDINATOR, SAYING (English):<br/> <br />"The worry is that a country like India will prematurely declare victory and think that it can start to reduce the money it's investing in HIV prevention and treatment and declare a premature victory. If that will happen the virus will rebound."<br/> <br />Despite India's success in fighting new HIV infections it has 2.5 million people living with the virus.<br/> <br />Yet the government spends only about one percent of its GDP on healthcare facilities, far less than some African nations.
