Dear FORUM:

As regards the feasibility of Int'l HIV Testing Day, may I submit that our own
VCCTC Centers at district headquarters should declare a weeklong program with
2nd December itself to serve as the INTERNATIONAL HIV TESTING DAY as the 1st Dec
could be used to motivate people just like Pulse Polio Program.

The 2nd of every December be observed for this purpose. The entire week 1st
through 7th can be observed as HIV-Week to weaken the stranglehold of this
deadly infection.

Just like the Pulse Polio celebrities could be roped in to motivate the masses
and contribute out of their income just 1 percent each person a year, This way
we can go a long way to help the masses in dire need for the right kind of
education, counseling and testing.

I hope this can be possible and feasible logistically as our VCTCs are already
supposed to do the same. Often they under perform and reportedly sell the kits
in open market.

Dr S TARIQ WALI
ANGELZ [INDIA] TRUST
1-5 UNIQUE PALACE, CIVIL LINES
ANOOPSHAHAR ROAD, ALIGARH-202002
UP, INDIA
URL: Http://www.angelzindiatrust.org
Ph: +91-5713206223
e-mail: <drstwali@...>

The Hindu, Business, 25/06/2006
PM urged not to introduce data exclusivity

Special Correspondent - Repealing clinical trials will force drug companies
to perform unethical studies

NEW DELHI: The Washington-based non-profit agency, Global AIDS Alliance, has
urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ensure that amendments are not made
to the Indian Drugs and Cosmetics Act to introduce data exclusivity
provisions as this will seriously affect India's ability to provide generic
drugs to millions of people in developing countries.

In a letter sent to Dr. Singh, the Alliance has expressed concern that such
amendments will have adverse effects on the global availability of
affordable essential medicines meant to treat HIV/AIDS, hypertension,
diabetes, asthma and many other diseases. "Without Indian generic drugs,
millions of people in developing countries will die as a result of lack of
access to affordable medicines,'' it says.

The broad based alliance, which has Bishop Desmond Tutu on its board of
directors, argues that data exclusivity provisions, if added to the Drugs
and Cosmetic Act, will prevent generic companies from using data on existing
drugs to gain regulatory approval for generic versions. It maintains that
generic companies will be forced to repeat time-consuming and expensive
studies to receive regulatory approval.

Essential medications will be prohibitively expensive without the
competition from generic companies and generic drugs will take years to
bring to market under data exclusivity laws, it has stressed.

The Alliance has stated in the letter that repeating clinical trials will
force drug companies to perform unethical studies that withhold medicines
known to be effective from the control group. "The people of India and the
developing world will be denied access to the newest treatments available to
those who can afford brand name drugs,'' it has said.

In addition, it has pointed out that the TRIPS agreement does not require
India to implement data exclusivity provisions. Article 39.3 simply requires
that members protect "undisclosed test or other data... against unfair
commercial use.''

It notes that World Health Organization's Commission on Intellectual
Property Rights, Innovation, and Public Health recently reinforced the view
that TRIPS does not require data exclusivity.

Underlining the need to avoid amending the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, the
alliance says the Commerce Ministry of Commerce has already publicly stated
its opposition to the implementation of data exclusivity provisions.

"We hope that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of
Chemicals and Fertilizers will follow suit and oppose a data exclusivity
amendment to the Drug and Cosmetic Act,'' it says.

© Copyright 2000 - 2006 The Hindu
http://www.thehindu.com/2006/06/25/stories/2006062502211300.htm
________________
Leena Menghaney
Project Manager-India
Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines
Medecins Sans Frontieres - Holland (in India)
Tel: +91 11 24337225, + 91 1151552413
msfh-india-medco-assist" <msfh-india-medco-assist@...>

Dear Forum members,

I read with great surprise the UNI story, dated June 27, disseminated by
AIDS-India. (Re.Govt accepts UNAIDS' report of 5.7 m HIV/AIDS cases)

The article mentions a dispute between ministers that does not exist
and an imaginary controversy about HIV prevalence figures in India.

I would like to place on record that I have been misquoted in this
article, some of the quotes even putting in my mouth expressions I
never use!

I wish to reassure all the forum members that UNAIDS is part of the
national response and fully supports the government's action against
HIV and take this opportunity to thank all of you for the wealth of
ideas provided by this e_network.

Best regards,

Dr. Denis Broun
UNAIDS Country Coordinator,India
A 2/35 Safdarjung Enclave
New Delhi-110029, INDIA
Tel: 91.11.41.35.45.45
Fax: 91.11.41.35.45.4

Dear FORUM,

Re: Feasibility of International HIV Testing day

Observing an International HIV testing day is a good idea provided the following
pre conditions are satisfied.

The day should come at the end of a week of HIV/AIDS awareness wherein public
education programmes regarding the basics of HIV/AIDS, including treatment
options, care and support system if tested postive should be arranged.

There should be enough testing facilities.

Facilties for the care of those tested postive should be ensured.
Incentives for those who come forward for testing should be provided ( as we did
for familty planning campaign)

Celebrities like Ministers, Film Stars, Cultural leaders should take the lead in
testing

Ekbal
E-MAIL: <ekbal@...>

Aiyar contradicts Govt AIDS data

HT correspondent, New Delhi, June 28, 2006

Union Youth Affairs and Panchayati Raj Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar
courted controversy when he backed UNAIDS data that says India has
the highest number of AIDs cases in the world. India has officially
dismissed the UNAIDS figure of 5.7 million, sticking to its own
figure of 5.206 million for 2006.

"Though we have more HIV infected patients than any other country,
still 99 per cent of Indians are HIV free," said Aiyar at the launch
of the Youth Unite For Victory on AIDS programme. In doing so, he
contradicted the claims of health minister Anbumani Ramadoss, who
had said he "totally disagreed with the UNAIDS report".

The UNAIDS 2006 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic released last
month said India had 5.7 million HIV positive people.

Over the past three years, the Indian government has been recording
a plateauing in HIV/AIDS figures -- 5.106 million in 2004; 5.134
million in 2005, and 5.206 million in 2006 -- but the government has
explained it away as success in containing its spread and the fact
that it wasn't factoring in the people dying of AIDS.

UNAIDS cannot contain its glee. "We are happy that the Indian
government is accepting the figure of 5.7 million," said UNAIDS
country representative Denis Braun.

"We had sent the figure of 5.7 million to the minister (Ramadoss) in
March. May be he didn't get time to go through the issue at that
time or didn't realise its importance," he said.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1730253,0008.htm

Govt accepts UNAIDS' report of 5.7 m HIV/AIDS cases

UNI
New Delhi, June 27: The controversy over a UNAIDS report that India
has the highest number of HIV/AIDS cases took a new turn today with
the UN agency claiming the Indian government has accepted its report.

"A minister at the launch of YUVA programme today said that India
has the highest number of HIV/AIDS cases. This indicates that the
Indian government has accepted the UNAIDS report about the country
having 5.7 million HIV/AIDS cases, the highest in the world," the
UNAIDS country representative, Mr Denis Braun told UNI.

He was referring to the Union Panchayati Raj and Youth Affairs
Minister, Mr Mani Shankar Aiyar, who while addressing the YUVA
(Youth Unite for Victory on AIDS) programme launch this morning had
apparently said that India has the highest number of HIV/AIDS cases
and a movement be launched among youth to fight the disease.

Referring to the Union Health Minister, Dr Anbumani
Ramadoss' "disappointment" with the UNAIDS report on Global AIDS
Epidemic, 2006, released last month, which stated that India has
surpassed South Africa by reporting 5.7 million HIV/AIDS cases, the
highest in the world and 4 lakh deaths due to AIDS in 2005 more than
3.2 lakh of South Africa, Mr Braun said the Union Health Minister
had reacted "violently" and without consulting concerned officials
and authorities.

The Union Health Minister had said that the UNAIDS/WHO was involved
in the HIV/AIDS data collection by NACO which put the figure at 5.2
million so why UNAIDS did not consult the government while stating
that India had 5.7 million HIV/AIDS cases in its report.

"We relied on the NACO figures for HIV/AIDS which only included the
HIV/AIDS infection among 15 years to 49 years. But we all know that
HIV/AIDS infection occurs among children and even those in the age
group of above 50 also. So we had a mathematical derivation which
included the figures for these age groups also and arrived at 5.7
million figure," he said.

"Moreover, we had sent the figures of 5.7 million HIV/AIDS infection
to the minister in March itself. May be he did not get time to go
through the issue at that time due to his pre-occupation and busy
schedule or did not realise the importance of the issue at that
time. So, it is not our fault," the UNAIDS representative said while
denying the Union Health Minister's charge that the UN agency did
not inform the Indian government before declaring the new figures.

Mr Braun said the UNAIDS had always cooperated with the Indian
government and "worked in tandem".

http://www.navhindtimes.com/stories.php?part=news&Story_ID=062814

Human trials of AIDS vaccine begins

Special Correspondent

"The indications so far are that it is safe"

CHENNAI: With the first phase of the AIDS vaccine human trial being
kicked off in the city, scientists involved in the trial are looking
at absorbing more volunteers for the second such vaccine trial in
the country.

The process of fulfilling the requirement of selecting two groups of
16 volunteers each is on, P.R. Narayanan, Director, Tuberculosis
Research Centre, an Indian Council of Medical Reaserch body
conducting the vaccine trial in Chennai, said on Tuesday.

TRC collaborates with YRG Care and the International AIDS Vaccine
Initiative on the project, conservatively estimated to cost at least
one million USD.

While some of the volunteers have been administered two (low) doses
of the Modified Vaccine Ankara (MVA), at least 16 more will have to
volunteer to join the study. None of the volunteers who have
received the vaccine has shown any side effects so far, Dr.
Narayanan said.

Ideally, volunteers should be in the age group 18 to 50 years,
healthy, uninfected by the HIV virus and at `low risk' for HIV
infection. They will receive three injections, at the beginning, one
month and six months later. In 18 months, the period of the first
phase, each volunteer will have to visit the centre 17 times and
blood will be drawn from him/her 14 times, Dr. Narayanan explained.

All volunteers will have to pass a test of understanding, based on
the information provided to them about the trial, apart from
satisfying medical criteria.

Mostly, volunteers are recruited through advocacy meets and
sensitisation sessions, individual contacts also yield some
participants.

It is only after a three-level screening process inclusive of a risk
assessment that a volunteer can be recruited.

So far, 16 volunteers have been enrolled. The safety data from this
group will be reviewed by an international safety review board and
when it grants clearance, 16 additional volunteers will be enrolled
to receive a higher dose of the vaccine candidate.

Fears allayed


Allaying fears that volunteers might contract HIV when injected with
the vaccine, Sunithi Solomon, director, YRG Care, one of the
participants in the trial involving the International AIDS Vaccine
Initiative, said the vaccine contains only a few genetic components
and not the whole virus. "No person will get HIV through the
vaccine.

In addition, following ethical norms set for human trials, the
identity of the volunteer will be kept confidential," Dr. Solomon
explained.

Further elaborating on this, V.Ramanathan, principal investigator of
the trial, said there will be no pressure on the volunteers to
participate or continue in the trial.

Volunteers who have problems can also seek the counsel of the
independently constituted arbitration board.

"Of course, any volunteer can feel free to walk out of the trial at
any point of time."

Each volunteer will be paid Rs.500 per visit as compensation for man
hours lost, any vaccine-related side effects will be taken care of
and he/she will be provided medical insurance for the period of the
trial for any vaccine unrelated events, according to a decision
taken by the Union Ministry of Health, Dr.Ramanathan said.

Jean Louis Excler, Senior Director, Medical Affairs, IAVI India,
said the first phase of the vaccine trial being conducted at
National AIDS Research Institute, Pune, would come to an end this
year and the indications so far are that the vaccine is safe.

Wednesday, Jun 28, 2006
http://www.hindu.com/2006/06/28/stories/2006062819890600.htm

Feasibility of International HIV Testing day.

The 18th UNAIDS Program Coordinating Board (PCB) meeting, held in
Geneva, 27-28 June 2006 is exploring the possibility of declaring an
international HIV testing day.

While reviewing the Outcome of the high level UN meeting  held in
New York during early June, 2006- moving the global response forward
(Agenda item no 2),  at the specific request of the  UNAIDS PCB
representative from  the United States of America,   "---- the PCB
take note of the idea for an international HIV testing day as a way
to promote greater access to voluntary HIV counselling and testing,
organised with the participation of civil society, especially
networks of people living with HIV, and request UNAIDS to analyse
the potential impact of an implementation issues relating to an
international testing day".

While addressing the UN High level meeting in New York in June the
U.S. first lady Laura Bush, called on nations to adopt an
International HIV Testing Day. The US delegate's intervention at the
UNAIDS PCB meeting in Geneva was a follow up to the US first lady's
call.

UNAIDS is guided by the Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) which
serves as its governing body. The PCB has representatives of 22
governments from all regions of the world, the ten UNAIDS
Cosponsors, and five nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), including
associations of people living with HIV/AIDS. The PCB holds a regular
session once a year in Geneva and in alternate years holds thematic
sessions outside Geneva, as requested by the members.  UNAIDS is
supposed to submit a feasibly report at the next PCB meeting to be
held in Lusaka, Zambia in December 2006.

As, UNAIDS is obliged to implement the decisions of the PCB, there
is an urgent need for wider consultation on the relevance and
feasibility of an International HIV testing day.

The FORUM members are invited to comment on the following issues.

1) Will an International HIV testing day promote greater access to
Voluntary HIV counselling and testing?

2) Considering the high levels of HIV/AIDS related stigma and
discrimination, prevails in many countries, how feasible is to
promote a universal testing day?

3) Are the civil society, particularly the networks of people living
with HIV/AIDS, willing to collaborate with such an initiative?

4) What are the potential impacts of such a policy on the current
HIV responses?

5)  What are the implementation issues to be taken into
consideration, while promoting an International HIV testing day?

The summary of the discussion will be forwarded to the UNAIDS for
consideration. Each and every contribution will be acknowledged,
unless the contributors would like to remain anonymous.

The discussion will remain open till July 31st 2006

Thank you for your attention

Joe Thomas

Moderator,
AIDS INDIA eFORUM
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/AIDS-INDIA/

Volunteers needed for trial of vaccine

NT Bureau, Chennai, June 28:

Around 16 healthy and non-infected volunteers are needed for the
Phase - 1 of HIV vaccine trial conducted at the Tuberculosis
Research Centre (TRC). This trial is conducted to test the safety of
the vaccine.

The HIV vaccine trial is the second attempt in the country and is
being done in collaboration with YRG care Centre, Indian Council of
Medical Research(ICMR), National AIDS Control Organisation(NACO) and
International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI).

Speaking to mediapersons, P R Narayanan, director TRC, said the
phase 1 trial consists of two groups with 16 volunteers each . They
would be given low dosage and high dosage of the TBC M4 vaccine
respectively. TBC M4 is a vaccine which has a recombinant of
Modified Vaccine Anakara(MVA) which would help test HIV -1 subtype
India.

He said that the centre already had 16 volunteers on whom the trials
had already started and there was a need for 16 more between the age
of 18 and 50. There would be three injections of the vaccine at
zero, first month and sixth month . The volunteers would have to
visit 17 times during the 18- month trial and have 14 blood draws.
Speaking about the current condition of screening for volunteers, he
said that 33 (of whom 15 are women) were screened and 16 (8 women)
enrolled, seven (three women) non- eligible and six (four women)
ready for enrolment.

According to Dr Suniti Solomon, director, YRG Care, only people
belonging to the low risk groups had been selected for the phase 1
and people with hypertension and diabetes were not eligible for the
trials. She said the volunteers were under the care of the
government and if any complication arises during the trial they
would be taken care of. Interested persons can contact V D
Ramanathan, deputy director, Department of Pathology, TRC, at
28369650.

http://newstodaynet.com/28jun/rf11.htm

Dearth of AIDS drugs cripples patients in state

Express News Service

Kolkata, June 26: Crisis looms large over thousands of AIDS patients
in the state who are under anti-retro viral drugs, courtesy
disruptions in supply by the National Aids Control Organisation. The
shortage has been plaguing hospitals since February this year when
around 100 patients were asked to purchase medicines on their own.
The free ART programme was initiated in the state a year ago and
presently covers over 1000 patients at the School of Topical
Medicines.

"The ART drugs are procured and supplied by NACO and there has been
frequent disruptions in their services. We are trying our best to
compensate for the inconvenience and presently none of the patients
suffer. We are trying to make temporary arrangements. Ideally we
should have three to six months' supply in reserve," said R S
Shukla, director of West Bengal State HIV AIDS Society and special
secretary, health department.

According to the health department, medicines like Efivarenz,
Stavudin and Lamuvudin - combinations of which are used to treat
AIDS patients - are not available.

"Efivarenz stocks have recently been exhausted and stocks of
Stavudin and Lamivudin, a combination of which is used for the
therapy, will last for another week or so. This estimation takes
into consideration our supplies from districts. The situation is
grave," said a health department official.

The problem started in February when 100 patients were asked to buy
drugs from private sector companies and stocks were finished. The
ART, however, cannot be discontinued even for a single day since
that would foster the growth of mutant viral forms of the disease
apart from rendering the patient critical.

The crisis was managed after the WBSAPCS borrowed drugs from
Lucknow, Nagaland, Delhi and Andhra Pradesh, following talks with
NACO.

"We told NACO about the crisis in February but supplies continued to
be disrupted. We were given dates but the medicines did not reach us
on time. We then took loans from different states as much as 10,000
tablets in a single consignment to tide over the crisis. Now even
those stocks are exhausted," the official added.

Presently at the School of Tropical Medicines no new patients are
enrolled for the free ART programme and those already undergoing the
treatment have been provided with only two weeks' medicines. Usually
an AIDS patient is furnished with a month's stock in advance as they
are prescribed with an intake of two tablets daily.

http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=190107

Dear Forum,

I am a member from West Bengal and concerned about HIV/AIDS scenario of India
and West Bengal. Last sentinel surveillance data of antenatal mothers showed
0.9% HIV prevalence in them.

Its a good news that WBSACPS has initiated a project on estimating AIDS death
cases in West Bengal under leadership of Dr. Mihir Kumar Bhattacharya of NICED.
Recently, I attended one of Dr. Mihir Bhattacharya's lectures on water quality
monitoring held in Barasat along with many other medical officers of North 24
Parganas district.

I am sorry to say that quality of his speech and knowledge on the subject was
extremely poor. He seems to be not technically competent enough to handle a
project of this kind with his background of MBBS, PhD. Some senior clinician/s
need to be made in-charge of it for successful carrying out of this study.


Thanking you.

Regards,

Dr. A. Roy
Barasat
e-mail: <anitaroyanita@...>

Dear Friends,

It was really an interesting article and leaves many questions unanswered.

The most important question being what is going to be the fate of those 188
soldiers who are found to be living with HIV/AIDS? Will they be thrown out of
job?

Position by armed forces vis-à-vis HIV/AIDS has be quite dubious till now.

This could be partly due to the fact that legal system (including our
Constitution) has given armed forces a very special and rather
insurmountable position. This has led to many interesting decisions by them
vis-à-vis HIV/AIDS as a workplace issue. As you would have noticed, armed forces
are the first ones to take the public stand of making HIV/AIDS test compulsory
during their pre-employment testing. It appears from this article, that they
also have HIV as part of their annual medical check up.

The NACO policy does not encourage pre-employment and mandatory HIV testing and
most government bodies don't indulge into this practice. Have armed forces been
exempted from it?

Many a times those advocating against pre-employment and mandatory testing in
private sector face the question as to why is the same practice acceptable in
the armed forces. Its the question for which one can't really have a strong
answer.

I remember one army official told a newspaper some time back, that to reduce HIV
incidence in the armed forces they are making HIV testing compulsory. Well, the
reason why we have so many people living with HIV/AIDS in the armed forces is
not because they recruit positive people but they become vulnerable once they
join the forces. Vulnerability of armed forces to HIV/AIDS is an established
fact. As we know, any worker working away from the family, in reproductive age
group, in a position of power vis-à-vis local population (be it money or force)
has a higher chance of involving himself into high risk behaviour.

One must admit that there have been some steps taken by the armed forces to
control spread of HIV among the soldiers but vis-à-vis their stand about the
rights of PLWHAs there much still to be clarified.

Regards,
Shailesh Vaite
shaileshvaite@...

UNAIDS PCB Meeting opens in Geneva; Indian official delegates absent.

18th UNAIDS Program Coordinating Board (PCB) meeting opened in
Geneva to review the work of the UNAIDS for the last year and to
plan for the next "25 years".

As India is the country with maximum number of people living with
HIV/AIDS and one of the member of the PCB, the Indian official
delegates absence was conspicuous in this meeting.

UNAIDS is guided by a Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) which
serves as its governing body.  The PCB has representatives of 22
governments from all regions of the world, the ten UNAIDS
Cosponsors, and five nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), including
associations of people living with HIV/AIDS. UNAIDS is the first
United Nations programme to include NGOs in its governing body.  The
PCB holds a regular session once a year in Geneva, and in alternate
years holds thematic sessions outside Geneva, as requested by the
members.

The 18 th PCB is meeting  in Geneva, switerland  27-28 June 2006.

The official Indian delegation was supposed to be lead by HE.
Swashpawn Sing, the Indian Ambassador to the UN Permanent Mission of
India.

The details of the UNAIDS PCB meeting is available at the following
url
http://www.unaids.org/en/AboutUNAIDS/Governance/20060518-pcb18.asp

Moderator
AIDS INDIA e FORUM
At the PCB meeting in Geneva

Court reprieve for NRI fighting 'medical corruption'

By Indo Asian News Service

Kolkata, June 26 (IANS) The Calcutta High Court Monday rejected a
plea by the West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) against a US-based
Indian-born scientist fighting a case of medical negligence and also
to hold a full hearing of his appeal.

A division bench of the court fixed the hearing of two appeals by
noted Ohio-based AIDS researcher Kunal Saha, fighting a case of
alleged medical negligence leading to his wife Anuradha's death in
1998, for a full hearing Wednesday.

Saha has appealed against the dismissal of his petition by a single-
judge high court bench in which he had complained that the WBMC had
deliberately acquitted the primary accused, Sukumar Mukherjee,
for 'medical negligence' causing the death of his wife.

In a separate but related appeal, Saha has accused that WBMC
president Ashok Chowdhury was 'biased'.

Saha recently suffered a legal setback when his claim seeking Rs.770
million or $17 million - India's biggest medical negligence
compensation claim - from five city-based doctors, including eminent
physician Mukherjee, and the AMRI hospital was dismissed by the
National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) in New Delhi
June 1.

In its judgment, the commission relied on the WBMC findings and
observed that when an experts' body has already found no wrong with
the treatment, a consumer court cannot hold the doctors guilty.

Saha has vowed to appeal to the Supreme Court against the NCDRC
judgment after the apex court reopens on July 3 following the a
vacation.

http://www.dailyindia.com/show/37522.php/Court_reprieve_for_NRI_fighti
ng_medical_corruption

Assam Rifles has 188 cases of HIV/AIDS

Press Trust of India, Shillong, June 23, 2006

The Assam Rifles, the oldest central paramilitary force of the
country exclusively deployed in the North East, has 188 cases of
HIV/AIDS among its personnel, its Director General Lt Gen Bhopinder
Singh said in Shillong on Friday.

Addressing a special 'Sainik Sammelan', the DG said "everyone must
act forcefully with firmness, urgency and utmost seriousness to
prevent the further spread. Everyone must learn to live in the
surrounding environment in a dignified manner."

Lt Gen Singh, who will retire this month-end, said in the last two
years, the Assam Rifles has been able to control diseases like
malaria, jaundice and tuberculosis.

With the troops being permanently deployed in the Northeast, plans
were approved for making more accommodation in places like Shillong,
Guwahati, Imphal, Jorhat, Tezpur, Agartala and Dimapur so that
maximum families of the personnel could stay in closer locations
while they were serving in the region, he said.

Highlighting various developmental work undertaken during his tenure,
the DG expressed happiness for efforts being taken for uplift of
quality of life and welfare of the personnel including those posted
at far-flung areas.

He encouraged the troops to carry on the good work carried out by
them and live upto the reputation of being the "friends of the hill
people", a sobriquet for the Assam Rifles.

Lt Gen Singh said in his military career spanning over 41 years, the
last two years were the "most satisfying" ones which earned him the
Param Vishist Seva Medal, the highest award which was possible
because of the hard work by all ranks and file.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1726765,0006.htm

Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports

YUVA (YOUTH UNITE FOR VICTORY ON AIDS) PROGRAMME TO BE LAUNCHED
TOMORROW. 14:6 IST

Vice-President of India Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat will launch
nationwide YUVA (Youth unite for Victory on AIDS) programme tomorrow
at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports
Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar will preside over the function. On this
occasion YUVA implementation plan and YUVA training manual for
implementing organizations will be released. The function will also
witness among other things curtain raiser on national quiz programme
on Youth and Sexual Health by Siddarth Basu, launch of Web-based Quix
on Youth and Sexual Health, Release of Question Bank and Training
Manual on Adolescent Health and Development.

Demographically India has become a young country today as more than
70 percent of our population is now under the age of 35. Out of this
33.8% come under 15-34 age category. The number of adolescents alone
(10 to 19) has crossed 230 million. Thus now every second Indian is a
young India. Yet young women and men are steadily emerging as the
epicenter of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The substantial segment of this
critical sub population is out of school, sexually active, marry
early, migrate for work in vulnerable situation and are exposed to
negative peer pressure and risk environment.

The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports in collaboration with NACO has
prepared a five year plan and action agenda called YUVA ¨C Youth
Unite for Victory on AIDS. YUVA envisages to reach out to the
adolescents and youth in all parts of the country to ensure that by
2010 all young people have accurate information, skills and access to
HIV prevention services/facilities in a conducive, safe and
supportive environment. The target is to cover 50% of young people by
2007, 65% by 2008, 75% by 2009 and 95% by 2010 and sustain the
momentum through mainstreaming. These goals are proposed to be
achieve through involvement of all youth volunteer networks in the
country, the youth NGOs, youth clubs and youth development centers.

The Ministry and NACO has proposed to set up Youth Friendly
Information Centre/Services (YFIC) in youth development centers and
universities to provide youth oriented counseling, life skill
education, recreation and guidance in a confidential and enabling
environment. The Nehru Yuva Kendra Sansthan and Panchayati Raj
Institutions are also proposed to involve in this process so that
young people in all the villages know what to do to avoid exposure to
risk situations, HIV and STI infection and lead a responsible and
productive life.

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=18541

Legislative forum on HIV/AIDS control in Bihar

Patna, Jun 24: Cutting across party lines, Bihar legislators today
resolved to constitute a high-level body on the lines of
parliamentarians' forum on HIV/AIDS to create awareness among the
people of the state on the disease.

The resoultion to constitute the body was moved by state RJD
President and national spokesman Abdul Bari Sidiqui at a seminar on
HIV/AIDS, jointly organised by both the Houses of the legislature.

The resolution was unanimously adopted in the presence of Chief
Minister Nitish Kumar, Assembly speaker Uday Narayan Choudhry,
Legislative Council Acting Chairman Arun Kumar, J D Salem, MP and
member Core group, Parliamentarians' Forum on HIV/AIDS (PFHA), state
JD (U) PFHA President and co-convenor Rajeev Ranjan Singh, UNAIDS
country Director Dr Denis Brown and a host of Bihar Ministers,
legislators and officials.

Addressing the seminar, Nitish Kumar said the state government had
decided to purchase only auto-destructible syringes for use in
government hospitals across the state as infected syringes were one
of the main causes of the virus spread.

http://www.medindia.net/news/view_news_main.asp?x=11668

Over 400 CRPF men hooked on to drugs, alcohol

Sunday, June 25th, 2006
New Delhi - Over 400 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force
(CRPF), India's premier paramilitary force, have been found to be
addicted to drugs and alcohol, according to an internal survey.

`We had conducted the survey to find out the number of men who have
become drug dependent and found 426 alcohol and drug addicts,' said
a senior CRPF official.

He said the survey was started in February and conducted across the
250,000-strong force through questionnaires.

`These forms were distributed among the personnel for feedback,'
said the official. He said the survey had not yet been completed and
many personnel were yet to return the forms.

`We are planning to send them reminders so that we can know the
exact number of personnel who have become drug dependents,' the
official said.

`We suspect that many would be reluctant to reveal details about
themselves,' said the official. According to him, the form is
designed in a manner that even if a man tries to mislead the
analysts, he would not be able to do so.

He further added that the problem of alcoholism and drug abuse could
be due to work pressures and the tensions of staying away from
families.

Officials said that a separate programme to identify HIV/AIDS
patients amongst the ranks had also been started. Help had been
sought from the family members of the personnel affected with
HIV/AIDS.

According to recent data, in the past 13 years,400 CRPF personnel
have died of HIV/AIDS  while 300 were under treatment.

An official said the first case of HIV/AIDS death in CRPF was
recorded in 1992. He added that most cases of AIDS/HIV were detected
in the northeast.

http://indiaenews.com/2006-06/12578-400-crpf-hooked-drugs-alcohol.htm

Conquering a silent epidemic: the TN story

Staff Reporter

New book documents 25-year history of AIDS in the State TANSACS `has
shown how a successful partnership can make a significant
contribution in controlling the epidemic'

CHENNAI : A new book on HIV/AIDS in the State in the past 25 years
takes the reader through the history of the disease since the first
case was diagnosed in the city in 1986, the response of the State,
non-government bodies and the way finance was arranged/spent to stem
the disease.

The book, released on Friday, is a joint effort by the University of
Madras, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and
the IndiaCLEN Trust in collaboration with CMC, Vellore, Tamil Nadu
State AIDS Control Society (TANSACS), AIDS Prevention and Control
Project (APAC), YRG Care and SAHAI Trust. The book was released at a
dissemination workshop on HIV/AIDS held in the city. Since 1992 the
State has, through TANSACS and APAC, set apart funds to contain and
prevent the disease and succeeded in bringing down the prevalence
rate from 1.13 per cent to 0.5 per cent.

David T. Hopper, United States' Consul General, received the first
copy of the book `Tamilnadu Response to HIV/AIDS, 1986-2005:
Conquering a silent epidemic,' released by Health Minister, KKSSR
Ramachandran. Reaffirming the U.S. Government's commitment to
support the Indian Government in its fight against the epidemic, he
called for innovative approaches to keep up the momentum and address
new challenges. Recent data had shown that there was an increase in
prevalence among homosexuals and injecting drug users, "both of
which are causes for concern."

Mr. Hopper congratulated the "policy makers and the implementing
organisations in stemming the tide of HIV/AIDS." He said TANSACS
had "led the way in India as an example of how successful
partnership can make a significant contribution in controlling the
epidemic. Many other states in India have and are continuing to
learn from Tamil Nadu." He also hailed the National AIDS Control
Organisation's efforts in spearheading HIV/AIDS programme in the
country.

He recalled that the USAID's support to the National AIDS Control
effort in India began in 1992 when the agency signed an agreement
with the Indian government to support HIV prevention and control
activities in Tamil Nadu through APAC. The project became a model of
HIV prevention in the country and complemented the State
Government's HIV/AIDS prevention activities.

In 2002, with the support of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the
Government Hospital of Thoracic Medicine in Tambaram had created a
centre of excellence for anti-retroviral therapy training and
management. In 2003, President Bush had announced the President's
Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which aimed at capacity
building of local organisations, involvement of people living with
HIV/AIDS in decision-making and public-private partnership.

Supriya Sahu, project director of TANSACS, said future plans
included more testing services in remote areas and increasing more
preventive programmes. V.K. Subburaj, Health Secretary, attributed
the success of the prevention programme to involving communities,
research partners, NGOs, financial institutions and the affected
people. S.P. Thyagarajan, coordinator of the workshop, also spoke.

http://www.hindu.com/2006/06/24/stories/2006062419130400.htm

Dear FORUM,

Re Nitish kumar sinha <Ranchi,Jharkhand> posting proposing an HIV testing daz in
India as well, like in the USA.

Its good to know that intelligencia from states like Bihar and Jharkhand is
really concerned abt grave situation of the pandemic in these  states. Recently
I was in NYC attending UNGASS and in the planery Mrs Bush announced that US has
already announced June 27 as HIV Testing day.

We are trying to promote this habit among young students specilly in UP and
Bihar and I fear that we might have big number of youth from  these states
effected with virus.

Any effort of HIV prevention, including inculcating the habit of HiV testing is
greatly appreciative and you could expect all my support for such activities.

Best regards

Kuntal Krishna
National Spokesperson
National Students' Union of India
5-Raisina road, New Delhi-1
Tel; 91-11-23358686(O), 91-6152-232211(R),
91-9891146033
e-mail: <kuntalkrishna@...>

Deal All,

Sound good to do HIV testing day in India. But I have A
concern on this CAN WE PROVIDE COUNSELING if we are
going to do HIV Testing Day???

So far we have expirience that even VCTC don't provide
quality counseling, How can one provide counseling

Insolidarity

Mike Tonsing
DNP+
e-mail <dnpplus@...>

JOB VACANCY:  PROGRAMME MANAGER, VSO INDIA

VSO is an international development agency that promotes
international volunteering by recruiting skilled professionals to
share their experience with partner organisations working to tackle
poverty and disadvantage, and contribute to building their
capacity.  VSO has a rights-based approach to development and in
India our priorities are participation and governance, disability
and HIV and AIDS.  VSO is seeking to develop partnerships and
identify placements with NGOs working in these sectors in Delhi,
West Bengal, Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.

VSO is seeking an experienced Programme Manager who will be
responsible for leading on the implementation and delivery of our
HIV and AIDS Programme Area Strategy.  This is a senior development
management post and you will be expected to contribute to the
development of VSO India's programme.  Experience of strategic
planning, monitoring and evaluation is therefore essential.  You
will be responsible for developing partnerships and placement
requests with NGOs working in VSO's priority areas and to
subsequently monitor and support the partner and volunteer.

You will have a proven background in community development,
organisational development or social mobilisation, as well as a
sound understanding of the rights-based approach and commitment to
gender equality.  You will have professional work experience in at
least one of VSO's priority areas and will have worked with an
Indian NGO.  Fluency in written and spoken English and either Hindi,
Bengali or Oriya is essential.

Many of our volunteers work in rural areas and the job will require
extensive travel - up to 40% of your time.  Experience of having
lived and worked in rural areas will be an advantage and you must be
willing to use public transport and be prepared to stay in simple
accommodation in common with our volunteers when required.

You will have a sensitivity to the issues facing disabled people and
people with HIV and/or AIDS, and an understanding of how attitudinal
and institutional barriers marginalise them.  In this respect,
women, and people with personal experience of HIV and AIDS and/or
disability with relevant or transferrable experience are
particularly encouraged to apply.  VSO has an accessible office.

This Delhi-based post is offered on an open-ended contract upon
successful completion of a six-month probationary period.  The
salary is commensurate with other international NGOs.

In the first instance, applicants are invited to send a statement of
no more than 500 words stating why you are appropriate for this
position, together with your CV by post to:

VSO India
B-8/25, Vasant Vihar
New Delhi 110 057

The closing date for receipt of applications is 7th July 2006.
Interviews will be held at the end of August.  Only shortlisted
candidates will be contacted for interviews. Upon request, this information is
also available in Braille, large print, cassette or CD.  We will also accept
completed CVs in any of these formats.
VSO aims to be an equal opportunities employer
_________________________

Suresh Parida
Admin & Finance Officer
Voluntary Service Overseas
B-8/25, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi - 110 057
Tele : 26153051/2
Email - suresh.parida@...
web - www.vso.org.uk

Dear FORUM,

This article make me feel that there is some merit of Goa government decision to
make pre-marital hiv screening mandatory. However, initially this should be made
voluntary with strong recommendations to get the pre-marital screening
accompanied by public education campaign.

As public health education campaign pick up, more and more people will come
forward voluntarily to ask for pre-marital testing. All these assuming that
testing will be done confidentially and providing appropriate care and/or
referral services to those found positive.

This will empower women and her parents too, to make a informed decision about
marriage proposal. No matter how best are laws, however, some people will have
way out with fabricated false report or some other corrupt practices. Even then,
I believe it will help large number of women in making informed decision and
help protect them from acquiring HIV from their spouses.

Dr. Naik
e-mail:  <enaik@...>

Dear FORUM,

None of the indicators stress on the number of ppl. receiving ARV and also none 
related to the rights of HIV+ .

However the indicators still appear to be quite satisfactory as most of the
important components have been included in the indicators and emphasis has been
given to couselling and testing which are one of the most important aspects when
it comes to HIV intervention in India.

Warm Regards

Indira

********************************************
Indira Varadarajan
Executive Director
SNS Foundation
88-89 Industrial Development Colony
Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road, Gurgaon-122001
Ph- (0124)-2333851,2333129,2321665
Fax:- (0124)- 2391195, Mobile- 09810743570
Website- www.snsf.org
e-mail: <indira@...>

World Bank on HIV/AIDS in India

In 1991, the Government of India and the World Bank expanded their
collaboration on infectious disease control programs and by 1992 the
first National AIDS Control Project was launched with a World Bank
credit of US$84 million. The project helped the government to
broaden prevention efforts and to establish institutions and
procedures necessary to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS. Building upon
lessons learned from the first project, India requested World Bank
financing for a follow-on project. With a World Bank credit of
US$191 million, the Second National HIV/AIDS Control Project was
started and this is increasing the pace of implementation through
the use of State AIDS Societies to speed the distribution of funds
at the state level.

The Bank has also undertaken analytical work to strengthen the
national response, including an analysis of the full array of costs
and consequences likely to result from several plausible government
policy options regarding funding for anti-retroviral therapy (ART).

Currently, the Bank is carrying out sector work on the economic
consequences of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on India and is actively
supporting the design of the third National AIDS Control Program.

Issues and Challenges: Priority Areas

Limited Overall Capacity: There are severe institutional capacity
constraints, both structural and managerial, at the national and
state levels. It is critical that these factors be addressed as the
program attempts to scale-up its response to the epidemic. NACO will
require a change in its role and responsibilities to provide the
necessary leadership and steering role for a stronger multi-sector
response for the next phase in India's fight against HIV/AIDS while
the states will need to provide implementation capacity to put a
robust program into place. The capacity to mount a strong program is
weakest in some of the poorest and most populated states with
significant vulnerability to the epidemic. There is a need for
tailored capacity-building activities and the introduction of some
performance-based financing approaches. In addition, they also
experience some of the greatest turnover of state level project
directors, resulting in limited continuity and variability in
performance across states. This puts program growth at risk.

Donor Coordination: At present there are over 32 donor agencies
working with NACO in different states and on different programs.

Each donor comes with its own mandate and requirements, as well as
areas of focus. The transaction cost to the government as a result
of attending to the various demands of the donors is huge. There is
a need for better coordinating mechanisms among the donors and clear
leadership by the Government to reduce the transaction costs.

Use of Data for Decision Making: There remains a need for greater
use of data for decision making, including program data and
epidemiological data. A lot of data that is being generated is not
adequately used for managing the program or informing policies and
priorities. Results-based management and linking incentives to the
use of data should be explored.

Stigma and Discrimination: Stigma and discrimination against people
living with HIV/AIDS and those considered to be at high risk remain
entrenched. A lot of this is a result of inadequate knowledge.
Stigma and denial undermine efforts to increase the coverage of
effective interventions among high risk groups such as men having
sex with men, sex workers and injecting drug users. Harassment by
police and ostracism by family and community drives the epidemic
underground and decreases the reach and effectiveness of prevention
efforts. Though there is significant increase in awareness due to
efforts by the government, there is much room for improvement.

Low Awareness in Rural Areas: Sentinel site behavioral surveillance,
completed in 2001, showed high HIV/AIDS basic awareness levels (82.4
percent in males and 70 percent in females). However, rural women
demonstrated very low rates of awareness in Bihar (21.5 percent),
Gujarat (25 percent), and Uttar Pradesh (27.6 percent). New
approaches need to be tried to reach rural communities with
information about HIV/AIDS, safe sex and how to prevent and treat
HIV/AIDS

http://www.digitalopportunity.org/article/view/135237/1/1138

Sub: Vote on amendments of the IAS Bylaws

The International AIDS Society (IAS) recently invited all IAS
members to vote on the proposed amendments of the IAS Bylaws.

hOWEVER, i appears the bylaws presented by the Governing Council is not adequate
enough to ensure that IAS would remain as an apex agency representing the best
interest of Global AIDS response and to ensure that this venerable agency will
not be abused by any unscrupulous governing council members or the
administrative staff.

To strengthen the governance of IAS I would like to propose the
following amendments. IAS members who will be present at the XVI
International AIDS  Conference in Toronto in August are invited to
cast their votes on the following, proposed  amendments at the
General Members Meeting which will take place during the conference:

Date: 16 August 2006, Time: 20:15–21:45

Place: Session Room 9, Level 100, North Building of the Metro
Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC)

Or you may write to the IAS president Dr.Helene D. Gayle, By e-mail.
<info@...>


Proposed amendments:

1) Proposed article 6.5. IAS membership will note be terminated
without the benefit of `a due process'.

2) Proposed article 5.9. All the Governing Council members and staff
of IAS must declare their conflict of interest. In particular, their
interest with the Pharmaceutical industry.

3) Proposed article 7.2.1) All the beneficiaries of IAS (who receive
a benefit of more than $ 1,000 as benefit in the form of
scholarship, travel and consultancy fees) must be listed as a public
record

4) Proposed Article 6.6 IAS Governing council election must me
supervised by an impartial returning officer nominated by the
Governing Council

5) Proposed article 6.7 An detailed IAS Governing council election
procedure should be presented to the next IAS meeting.(Such as
preparation of a list of all eligible voters, proper demarcation of
the regions and appeal process)


Notes on the proposed amendments

1) The statement (6.5) "membership may be terminated without
indication of reason, by the recommendation of the Executive
Committee.…" is high hand and against the sprit of a professional
organization. This is only meant to stifle any genuine criticism.

2) Currently, there is no clause on "conflict of interest' which
bounds the conduct of the IAS leadership.

3)  As a matter of promoting greater accountability all the
beneficiaries of IAS needs to be identified and it should be a
public record

4) Currently the IAS Governing council election is mostly supervised
by a computer technician and the office staff of IAS. This would
lead to potential abuse and the violation of the privacy of the IAS
members

5)  Currently, the IAS Governing council election is conducted on an
arbitrary and flippant manner, mostly supervised by the office staff
of IAS. There are no specific details of the demarcation of the
region, list of eligible voters, right to canvas for votes.


Sincerely,

Joe Thomas
Moderator
AIDS INDIA eFORUM


Links:

Current IAS Bylaws: http://www.iasociety.org/page_2.asp?pageId=1220
IAS Rules & Procedures: http://www.iasociety.org/page_2.asp?
pageId=1230

Dear FORUM,

Digging the records for the retrospective study for the last five
years may not be an easy task at distt level. Even if one gets
records the desired information may be missing. It may be more
fruitfull if done prospectively for the next one year after
sesitising the distt as well as the regional medical officers etc.
That may reflect the correct scientific information of AIDS death
in WB.

Regards

Dr A S Rathore
Joint Director
Centre for AIDS & Related Dis
NICD,Delhi
e-mail: <asr_naco@...>

Dear Forum,

It is a good news that there will be AIDS programme for Hotel Workers. I
defintely accept that hotel workers are more risk in getting infected with
HIV/AIDS. In the coastal part of the Karnataka both Mangalore and Udupi, in
VCTC, Care and Support centers most of the HIV/AIDS cases reported among hotel
workers.

The HIV/AIDS cases reported among the hotel workers were working in Mumbai and
Pune. In one of Care and Support center, nearly 30% of the HIV/AIDS cases
reported among Hotel workers.

It was experienced that many of infected individual without their knwledge 
transmit the infection to women. From last three years the HIV infection rate is
increasing among general population in both the districts.

To address this, it is very much needed to tackle this problem at the source of
infection. Considering this problem it is imperative there has to be similar
kind of programme addressing Hotel Workers. This intervention will be useful in
HIV/AIDS among Hotel wokers.

Thanks for giving me an opportunity for sharing my views.

regards,

Bharat S
e-mail: <bharatwrites2001@...>

Dear All,

Positive Living Canter - run by HUNS / INP+ with the support of
FHI/USAID requires a Social worker for one of its centres at Namakal.

Qualification: MA - sociology / Graduate with the zeal to work in
HIV/AIDS projects.

Fluency in English and MS - Office  is a must.

Pls apply to: hunsnamakkal@...

HUNS
6, KVN apartments,
Netaji nagar 4th street,
Trichy road, Namakkal -1

regards

S.Swaminathan
Project Manager - PLC.
e-mail: <swamiiyer@...>

AIDS Prevention And Control ( APAC) invites proposals from nodal agencies to
carry out the following projects:

Mainstreaming HIV AIDS care & support activities in the government medical
agencies in the district of Salem, Tamilnadu

Managing comprehensive HIV AIDS care in private medical institutions in the
districts of Erode & Tiruvellore, Tamilnadu

This Invitation For Application (IFA) describes the program objectives, explains
the technical area of focus, qualifications of organizations applying, criteria
for evaluating applications and provides information on funding, application
format and other relevant information.

Details can be obtained from www.apacvhs.org under the heading Invitation for
application

Deadline for submitting the applications has been extended to  24th June 2006

Mali Peri
e-mail <pmahan76@...>