`A New Beginning' : A book written by Dr.R.H.Uzgare for HIV infected
persons was released in Mumbai on 10th March 2005 by Mr. Sanjay Suri
(Film: My Brother Nikhil). Other speakers at the function were Mrs.
Sathya Saran (Editor: Femina), Ms. Dipannita Sharma (Model and
Actress), Mr. Arun Kumar Khanna (Director: Emcure Pharma).

The book has foreword by Prof. Suzanne Crowe, Australia.

FOREWORD

The fight against AIDS in India requires an array of approaches, from the
sharing of local experiences between health care workers and their patients and
families, the breakdown of stigmatizing attitudes which prevent individuals
coming forward for testing and counseling, the local development of
cost-effective therapies, right through to in depth and critical analysis by
physicians and government of the knowledge and experiences gained by other
countries during their fight against this global pandemic.

There is a direct relationship between level of knowledge and prevention of
transmission and it is recognized that for education to be successful the facts
must be relevant to the local audience.

Thus this book, written by a compassionate and well-informed physician who
specializes in the care of individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency
virus, will provide an overview of HIV/AIDS which is relevant for people living
with this virus in India. It is written in a very readable style, with Dr
RajshekharUzgare's descriptions of numerous encounters with
his patients in order to illustrate the points he wishes to make,
the issues which frequently arise in his clinic, the questions
commonly raised by his patients.

Dr Rajshekhar Uzgare covers all the issues so often shirked by other authors
because of their difficulty:
paediatric HIV infection, the HIV-infected pregnant woman, which
vaccines are safe for an HIV-infected person, and when should
antiretroviral treatment commence? HIV/AIDS is incredibly complex.

Before his untimely death, Jonathan Mann, the champion for human
rights in the fight against AIDS who established the World Health
Organization's Global Programme on AIDS, often used to quote Sir
William Osler "The physician who knew syphilis, in all of its
manifestations, knew medicine". The spectrum of clinical
manifestations which may present as HIV infection indeed is so broad
that it often results in the diagnosis of HIV infection being
missed.

It is an astute physician, with plenty of experience, who
understands HIV-related disease and considers the possibility with
virtually each and every patient who presents to the clinic. His
thirteen years of experience in India in the practice of HIV
medicine, as well as his training and attendance at conferences
abroad, has provided Dr Rajshekhar Uzgare with a level of knowledge
which, in the context of an expanding epidemic in rural and urban
India, will go a long way towards the education of both individuals
with HIV infection, and those health care workers treating them.

Suzanne Crowe
Professor of Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Monash University,
Melbourne.
Senior Consultant physician, Alfred Hospital Melbourne.
Head, HIV Pathogenesis and Clinical Research program, Burnet
Institute, Melbourne.

The book has following chapters –Laboratory diagnosis of HIV, Signs
and Symptoms, Counseling, Transmission, Prevention, Immunisation,
When to start treatment, Treatment(HAART and ART)- for HIV patients,
PMTCT, PEP, Paediatric HAART, Salient features of HIV, Diet,
Principles of counseling. Keywords are indexed at the end.

Book is priced Rs. 50/-
Available in Mumbai at Strand Book House (Flora Fountain, Fort),
Ideal book Depot, Dadar(W), Sharayu(R mall), Mulund(W) and other book depots. It
can be obtained by e-mail (druzgare@...) or phone(022-25681628, cell
9821137077)

This book was also presented to Mr. Kenneth Kaunda (Ex-President of
Zambia) on March 11 at a meeting in Mumbai. The book will be useful to
Seropositive persons, NGOs, patients, doctors, heath-care workers and patients'
families. It has the latest recommendations on HIV management.

Sharmila S. Kurian
E-mail: <shamiru@...>