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SAATHII Electronic News Letter
HIV NEWS FROM INDIA

SOURCE: www.e-pao.net, The Times of India, www.dailyindia.com,
The Hindu, The Indian Express and www.teluguportal.net

Posted on: 26/06/2006

COMPILED BY: B.Vilasini and L Ramakrishnan
SAATHII Chennai office

Note: this compilation contains news items about HIV/AIDS
published in the Indian media, as well as articles relevant to
HIV/AIDS in India published internationally. Articles in this
and previous newsletters may also be accessed at
http://www.saathii.org/orc/elibrary

===============================================================

1. Minister concerned over AIDS crisis.
www.e-pao.net, June 20, 2006.
http://www.e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=7..210606.jun06

2. Now, HIV tests before marriage.
The Times of India, June 22, 2006.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1669691.cms

3. Bihar legislators join hands against AIDS.
www.dailyindia.com, June 23, 2006.
http://www.dailyindia.com/show/36776.php/Bihar_legislators_join_hands_against_AI\
DS

4. Gone: VTU rule you didn't know about.
The Times of India, June 24, 2006.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1674991.cms

5. Conquering a silent epidemic: the TN story.
The Hindu, June 24, 2006.
http://www.hindu.com/2006/06/24/stories/2006062419130400.htm

6. Saying `goodbye' to AIDS.
The Hindu, June 24, 2006.
http://www.hindu.com/2006/06/24/stories/2006062418960200.htm

7. Hundreds mark Rainbow Pride Week on Kolkata streets.
The Indian Express, June 25, 2006.
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=189960

8. Over 400 CRPF men hooked on to drugs, alcohol.
www.teluguportal.net, June 25, 2006.
http://www.teluguportal.net/modules/news/article.php?storyid=6653

===============================================================

1. Minister concerned over AIDS crisis.
www.e-pao.net, June 20, 2006.
http://www.e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=7..210606.jun06


Imphal: While stating that social stigma and discrimiantion
attached to the HIV/AIDS patients in Manipuri society should
be viewed as another form of human rights violation of the
affected people, Health and Social Welfare Minister
DK Korungthang has upon all the people to work toward removing
this social stigma and discrimination.

Speaking as chief guest at the inaugural of the 2nd day
session of the three-day long State level Consultation of
Childrens, NGOs and GOs to review care an support programme
for children afflicted by HIV/AIDS at the conference hall of
the State Youth Centre, Khuman Lampak here today, the Minister
observed that the problem of HIV/AIDS in Manipur is indeed
very grave.

The Minister pointed out that there are record 22,857 HIV
positive people in Manipur out of which 4880 are women and
3758 are children, and so far 541 people have died from AIDS.

Besides this, there are also many unreported cases, the
Minister added.

In his presidential address, Commissioner of Health LP Golmei
emphasised on the role of information, education and
communication in preventing spread of HIV/AIDS.

Project Director of MACS Dr H priyokumar, Joint Director of
WCD Division of SW Sharat Sharma, Programme Officer of UNODC,
Shillong Dr Joyce Angami and Consultant UNICEF, India
Mini Bhaskar also graced the function as guests of honour.

Consultation is being organised jointly by UNICEF India,
Manipur State AIDS Control Society and Integreted Womn and
Child Development Centre, Thangmeibband Yumnam Leikai.

===============================================================

2. Now, HIV tests before marriage.
The Times of India, June 22, 2006.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1669691.cms


Ranchi: Families here are now insisting on HIV tests ahead of
marriages.

Pathology labs in the city have registered an increase in the
number of HIV tests, particularly during the marriage season.
Rajesh Bose (name changed) got an HIV test done last year.

"I was in love with her. But her parents thought I was a
flirt," said Bose. "But when I produced the (HIV test) report,
they agreed to our marriage".

Not only men but prospective brides too are going in for HIV
tests to prove they are not affected with AIDS.

"When my marriage was fixed, my in-laws were hesitant as I
stayed in hostels during my school and college days. To remove
any suspicion I voluntary got the HIV test done and showed the
report," said a woman who got married in January.

These are not isolated cases in Ranchi.

Getting an HIV test done is simple and not too costly. The
rate varies between Rs.250 and Rs.500.

"In recent times we have witnessed an increase in the number of
HIV tests. We have registered more than 25 percent growth in
the number of HIV tests," said Rakesh Sharan of J. Sharan
Pathological Laboratories.

"Normally we do not ask the young people why they are getting
the test done and they too do not wish to divulge the reason,"
he added.

Said Suman Dubey of Health Screen: "In rare instances some
people tell us that they are getting the test done as a
pre-marriage exercise. This shows that the youths are becoming
conscious about their life partners".

There are also cases of young people wanting to get their
report changed.

"One girl wanted her report changed. She asked for a negative
report despite the fact that she had HIV," said a doctor.

===============================================================

3. Bihar legislators join hands against AIDS.
www.dailyindia.com, June 23, 2006.
http://www.dailyindia.com/show/36776.php/Bihar_legislators_join_hands_against_AI\
DS


Patna: Legislators in Bihar have vowed to join hands against
HIV/AIDS and are set to discuss the threat it poses and ways to
check its spread.

Alarmed by the rising numbers of HIV/AIDS cases in the state,
members of both houses of the state legislature cutting across
party lines are to participate in a conference here Saturday
on the disease.

Uday Narayan Choudhary, the assembly speaker, said that over
300 legislators including 243 members of legislative assembly
and 75 members of the legislative council would take part in
the conference, the first of its kind here.

'Never before has such a conference been held here,' said
Choudhary, who is considered to be the brain behind it.

The meet will also be attended by top officials of the
National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and representatives
of international organisations like UNAIDS, UNICEF. Besides,
certain non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working to
control the disease would also participate in the meet and
present a picture of the ground realities before the
legislators.

The conference is to be formally inaugurated by Chief Minister
Nitish Kumar.

Choudhary admitted that the disease poses an increasing threat
to millions across the state and said it was the right time to
launch a major awareness drive. 'Legislators would discuss and
debate on ways to check its spread,' he said.

Choudhary said that awareness is the key weapon to fight AIDS
as it will not only check its spread but also counter the
social stigma attached to the disease in India.

An official with the Bihar State AIDS Control Society (BSACS)
said: 'There are 8,228 identified cases of HIV and 1,100 known
cases of full blown AIDS till date this year and over
80 persons, including 13 children, have died of AIDS in the
state'.

The official added that the presence of hundreds of migrant
labourers and an open border with Nepal are some of the factors
that contributed to the rising cases of HIV/AIDS in Bihar.

However, unconfirmed sources say that HIV positive cases in the
state are not fewer than 40,000 and over 100 people have died
from AIDS.

According to official figures, there were just 192 cases in
2001 but the number jumped to over 2,000 by the end of 2002
and to 2,500 by the end of May 2003.

Last week, the state government decided to constitute the
Bihar State AIDS Council on the pattern of NACO to implement
the measures more effectively. The chief minister will be the
chairman of the AIDS council.

===============================================================

4. Gone: VTU rule you didn't know about.
The Times of India, June 24, 2006.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1674991.cms


Bangalore: Did you know state's engineering colleges insist on
a HIV certificate? That too only from foreign/NRI students?
Now, that rule is no longer mandatory.

The Visvesvaraya Technological University, which administers
over 120 engineering colleges in the state, has directed
colleges not to make it mandatory for foreign/NRI students to
produce HIV certificates during admissions.

"When our own students are not subjected to AIDS test, why
should we insist on such norms for NRI/foreign students,"
asked K Balaveera Reddy, VTU vice-chancellor.

Though the education department while laying down norms for
admission to BE/B Arch courses has insisted that foreign
students attest an AIDS-free medical certificate, VTU, quoting
a letter from the Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society, has
asked all colleges not to insist on it.

The Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society says it issued the
orders as per the NACO (National AIDS Control Organisation)
directive in 2002, which said: "As per revised guidelines, it
has been decided to dispense with the requirement of mandatory
HIV testing of foreigners including foreign students with
immediate effect".

Though VTU says it will not withdraw the order, other medical
colleges say HIV test will continue to be mandatory for foreign
students.

Dr S Kumar, principal,M S Ramaiah Medical College, said it is
mandatory for all foreign students to produce HIV certificate
before getting a No-Objection certificate from the Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare.

Pushpa Keni, student affairs director at Manipal Academy of
Higher Education, which has the highest number of foreign
students in the country, says, "HIV test is mandatory for all
students. We have been asked by the Centre to insist on it".

VTU's decision assumes significance since the state government,
following a Supreme Court directive, has allowed private
professional colleges to reserve 15% of the seats for NRI
students.

Karnataka is one of the six states with high prevalence of HIV
cases along with Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu,
Manipur and Nagaland.

===============================================================

5. Conquering a silent epidemic: the TN story.
The Hindu, June 24, 2006.
http://www.hindu.com/2006/06/24/stories/2006062419130400.htm


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.

===============================================================

6. Saying `goodbye' to AIDS.
The Hindu, June 24, 2006.
http://www.hindu.com/2006/06/24/stories/2006062418960200.htm


Chennai: It has been 25 years since the first AIDS death in the
world was reported. To mark this, an awareness campaign was
started on Thursday morning.

A van with the message `Goodbye to AIDS' was flagged off by
Lakshmi Bai, Project Director of the Tamil Nadu AIDS Initiative
(TAI). The van went around the city, ending its journey on the
Marina beach.

The campaign was organised by TAI-VHS and non-governmental
organisation Indian Community Welfare Organisation (ICWO),
which works for STD/HIV/AIDS prevention among female sex
workers and homosexual men.

ICWO secretary A.J. Hariharan said that the challenge was to
reach out with HIV prevention messages to marginalised
communities and back them with adequate services.

Till date, over 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS
and over 25 million people have died of it. Earlier this year,
UNAIDS reported that there are an estimated 5.7 million people
in India with HIV/AIDS, making it the country with the largest
number of infections. However, Tamil Nadu, according to the
report, is also showing signs of reversing the trends of the
epidemic indicating that prevention efforts are making a
difference.

"We have come a long way from the initial fear and
hopelessness. Community-led prevention initiatives of leading
NGOs such as ICWO are showing encouraging signs," said
Dr. Lakshmi Bai.

===============================================================

7. Hundreds mark Rainbow Pride Week on Kolkata streets.
The Indian Express, June 25, 2006.
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=189960


Kolkata: Kolkata today witnessed another march organised to
mark solidarity among homosexual people, as hundreds walked to
observe the Rainbow Pride Week. It's an annual event of the
community that has been observed in the city since 1999.
Kolkata is the first city in India to observe the Rainbow
Pride Week.

The Rainbow Pride Week will also be marked by events like
dance recitals, film shows, music videos, panel discussions,
street plays, and opening of a new meeting place for "lesbian,
gay, bisexual and trans" (LGBT) people (those attracted to
same sex) at Chandannagar in Hooghly district. The
inauguration of a new hangout of the community will take place
early next month.

''Our march is not only to create an awareness among people in
the society that there is a good number of people who are
attracted to the same sex, and this is quite normal, we also
want to create awareness among the people about the threat of
HIV to the society as a whole,'' Pawan Dhall of Saathi, an
organisation of LGBT people which spearheads the movement,
told Newsline.

The LGBT people are also fighting for the repeal of Section
377 of IPC that makes homosexuality a punishable offence. A
petition pending in this regard in Delhi High Court is likely
to come up for hearing next month.

''We are eagerly waiting for the Section to be disposed of.
This will give recognition to the fact that same sex love is
quite normal among human beings,'' Dhall added.

The Rainbow Pride Walk is organised every year to mark
Stonewall Riots Day, a historic event that took place on
June 27, 1969, in New York. The riots took place as "lesbian,
gay, bisexual and trans" (LGBT) people (those attracted to
same sex) during a demonstration clashed with police to lodge
protest against their harassment by cops, a daily feature of
their lives in those days.

===============================================================

8. Over 400 CRPF men hooked on to drugs, alcohol.
www.teluguportal.net, June 25, 2006.
http://www.teluguportal.net/modules/news/article.php?storyid=6653


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.

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Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in the above articles
are those of the respective newspapers, not those of
SAATHII.