---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: SAATHII News <saathii.news@...>
Date: Mar 27, 2007 6:59 PM
Subject: HIV News from India - March 27, 2007
To: "L Ramakrishnan (SAATHII)" <l_ramakrishnan3@...>,
lramakrishnan2004@...


**********************************************************
SAATHII Electronic News Letter
HIV NEWS FROM INDIA

SOURCE: www.ibnlive.com, Times News Network,
www.kanglaonline.com, www.zeenews.com,
www.financialexpress.com, www.gorkhapatra.org.np,
www.indiaprwire.com, www.eARThtimes.org, www.kanglaonline.com,
The Economic Times, The Hindu, mangalorean.com,
The Times of India, The Indian Express, www.andhracafe.com,
The Sangai Express and www.centralchronicle.com

Posted on: 27/03/2007

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. More condom vending outlets to check AIDS.[New Delhi]
www.ibnlive.com, March 08, 2007.
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/more-condom-vending-outlets-to-check-aids/35490-17.h\
tml

2. Smarter TV - Now Print as you See![Bangalore]
Times News Network, March 09, 2007.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Smarter_TV_Now_print_as_you_see/articleshow/\
1738641.cms

3. Disability and HIV/AIDS discussed.[Imphal]
www.kanglaonline.com, March 09, 2007.
http://www.kanglaonline.com/index.php?template=headline&newsid=36798&typeid=1

4. Chief Justice stresses on AIDS awareness at grassroots
level.[Guwahati]
www.zeenews.com, March 10, 2007.
http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=359259&sid=REG

5. AIDS awareness campaign to ride on World Cup 2007.[Bombay]
www.financialexpress.com, March 11, 2007.
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=157375

6. Wrong Initiative to Contain AIDS? [India]
www.gorkhapatra.org.np, March 12, 2007.
http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/content.php?nid=14400

7. How personal is your question on HIV? [Mumbai]
www.indiaprwire.com, March 13, 2007.
http://www.indiaprwire.com/pressrelease/health-care/200703132216.htm

8. Indian woman sets self, son on fire after husband HIV
positive.[New Delhi]
www.earthtimes.org, March 13, 2007.
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/39608.html

9. Workshop on HIV issues held.[Imphal]
www.kanglaonline.com, March 13, 2007.
http://www.kanglaonline.com/index.php?template=headline&newsid=36870&typeid=1

10. Tata Steel receives CSR award from USIBC.[Mumbai]
The Economic Times, March 14, 2007.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Tata_Steel_receives_CSR_award_from_USIBC/art\
icleshow/1764080.cms

11. New plan for nutritional support to HIV positive kids.
[New Delhi]
The Hindu, March 14, 2007.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/14/stories/2007031421700500.htm

12. India to market female condoms.[Chennai]
mangalorean.com, March 15, 2007.
http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=40512

13. MP Govt stops sex education under AEP.[Bhopal]
The Times of India, March 18, 2007.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/MP_Govt_stops_sex_education_under_\
AEP/articleshow/1775956.cms

14. Using art of science to spread AIDS awareness.[Chandigarh]
The Indian Express, March 18, 2007.
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=227351

15. India's AIDS burden to ease.[New Delhi]
The Times of India, March 19, 2007.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/Indias_AIDS_burden_to_ease/article\
show/1780854.cms

16. HIV+, yet a beautiful life.[Pune]
The Times of India, March 20, 2007.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/HIV_yet_a_beautiful_life/articleshow/1780989.\
cms

17. Doctor's film on AIDS shoots down myths.[Mumbai]
www.andhracafe.com, March 21, 2007.
http://www.andhracafe.com/index.php?m=show&id=20458

18. Studying the prevalence of HIV in TB patients.[Chennai]
The Hindu, March 22, 2007.
http://www.hindu.com/seta/2007/03/22/stories/2007032200611700.htm

19. In two yrs, 3 thalassaemic kids contract AIDS through
transfusion.[Gandhinagar]
The Indian Express, March 22, 2007.
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=228052

20. State girl feted with award for HIV/AIDS coverage.
[New Delhi]
The Sangai Express, March 23, 2007.
http://www.e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=7..240307.mar07

21. CII workshop on HIV.[Bhopal]
www.centralchronicle.com, March 23, 2007.
http://www.centralchronicle.com/20070324/2403021.htm

22. AIDS-afflicted groom arrested for cheating bride.
[Hyderabad]
www.zeenews.com, March 27, 2007.
http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?rep=2&aid=360012&sid=REG

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

1. More condom vending outlets to check AIDS.[New Delhi]
www.ibnlive.com, March 08, 2007.
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/more-condom-vending-outlets-to-check-aids/35490-17.h\
tml


New Delhi: Aiming to check the spread of HIV/AIDS through
condoms, the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) has
decided to increase by five-fold contraceptive vending outlets
in the country to cover high risk groups.

"Under the National AIDS Control Programme-3 (NACP-3), the
total budget for condom usage will be Rs 2,000 crore over a
period of five years," a NACO official said.

"Our prime focus is on strengthening access by increasing the
number of outlets selling condoms to 30 lakhs, an increase from
six lakhs at present," he said.

This year, an amount of Rs 300 crores would be utilised for
the project and NACO is planning to increase distribution from
1.6 billion to 3.5 billion condoms over the next three years,
he said.

"Condoms play a major role in the prevention of HIV/AIDS. Our
aim is to distribute 3.5 billion condoms in three years time",
the official said.

Prevention of HIV/AIDS, including promotion of the use of
condoms, is an integral part of the NACO. It is being promoted
for dual use- protection from HIV and other sexually
transmitted infections, and unwanted pregnancy, he added.

The official said 75 per cent of the budget for the programme
in its Phase 111 is earmarked for prevention activities,
including promotion of the usage of condoms, Targeted
Interventions, Blood Safety and Information, Education and
Communication (IEC).

There are 5.2 million persons living with HIV/AIDS in the
country, according to NACO.

The supply of condoms and IEC activities are carried out in
both the urban and rural areas, with priority being accorded
to high HIV prevalent and high fertility districts and Targeted
Interventions among the high-risk groups and bridge population,
the official said.

He said NACO will be carrying out intensive promotional
campaigns on condoms in the coming few months.

"It is not only the high risk group that we want to target,
but the general population too," he said.

He said the increase in numbers of the outlets would ensure
that condoms are easily accessible to be a bigger population.

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

2. Smarter TV - Now Print as you See![Bangalore]
Times News Network, March 09, 2007.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Smarter_TV_Now_print_as_you_see/articleshow/\
1738641.cms


Bangalore: Imagine you are watching a documentary on AIDS on
TV and you want to get some additional information. What if
you could get a print out of the info at the click of a button.
You might ask TV and print out, how! Well, HP Labs India has
developed a technology to do just that. This is TVPrintCast -
a technology enabling synchronous delivery of printable data
along with the audio-video TV signal, on the existing
television broadcast networks. The new technology application
is about to be commercially launched soon in India and HP Labs
India is currently in talks with a set-top box (STB)
manufacturer to jointly market the technology/product.

Currently, about 37 million people in India have access to the
internet as opposed to over 600 million with access to TVs.
The TVPrintCast is one answer by HP Labs India to aiming to
bridge this gap, especially on the education front. "The
question we were trying to answer was that can we improve TV
viewing, especially in education through TV. Could we merge
visual and data content, then print and retain this content",
says Ajay Gupta, lab director of HP Labs India.

The technology is in advanced productisation in India with HP
Labs currently in negotiations with a company that manufactures
set-top boxes. STBs are an essential component for connecting
the TV and the printers.

The company expects to launch the product in India jointly
very soon, says Mr Gupta, adding that it will then be taken
global.

Apart from making the message on TV more persistent, the
technology enables the broadcaster to pass on additional
information to the viewer - articles, ads and promotional
material - through a new medium. Some of the application areas
for TVPrintCast would be TV-based education, public information
dissemination, agriculture, health programmes, travel,
spiritual programmes, entertainment, music and advertising.

A major area of the application is the education space.
According to Mr Gupta, the primary focus of this application
would be distance learning in which primary schooling,
vocational training and informal education would benefit most.
In fact, some senior management of Doordarshan who saw a demo
of the technology in a recent conference in February, have
expressed interest for DD's educational channels.

HP Labs India has been doing field trials for the technology.
In early 2006, some elected Gram Panchayat members gathered in
seven centres in Tumkur (a district in Karnataka) for training
on sectoral issues through satellite communication. Unlike the
usual training where people are given text book material and
lectures, this was a TV broadcast on issues uplinked from
Abdul Nasir Sab State Institute for Rural Development (ANSSIRD)
in Mysore.

And in the pilot by HP Labs, Karnataka government, ISRO and
BEL, TVPrintCast was tried out. The members while watching the
broadcast could use the TV remote to select and print whatever
data they wanted on any specific issue instead of poring
through reams of printed material.

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

3. Disability and HIV/AIDS discussed.[Imphal]
www.kanglaonline.com, March 09, 2007.
http://www.kanglaonline.com/index.php?template=headline&newsid=36798&typeid=1


Imphal: A person who is differently-able may be physically
challenged but mentally he/she is normal and have the same
desires and emotions as experienced by the rest.

On this premise, the existence of behaviours that might make a
person vulnerable to HIV/AIDS is found among the PWD (Persons
with Disability). This necessitates the need for framing
polices addressing the specific needs of the PWD within the
larger policies for HIV/AIDS all over the world. This was one
of the topics discussed at the HIV-prevention research
dissemination meeting held at Hotel Mass here today.

As pointed out during the meeting, though a quantitative study
on the prevalence of HIV/AIDS among the PWD is not yet done in
the state, possibility of HIV infection among the
differently-able was not ruled out. The draft report presented
by Prof MC Arun highlighted some of the general suggestions for
responding to the needs of PWD like preparation of IEC in
various formats, developing networks between HIV and disability
sectors, ensuring that facilities are physically accessible,
etc among others.

In the dissemination workshop, three draft reports were
presented. Ch Bangkim from Manipur and Dr Michell of
Australian International Health Institute, Melbourne made a
presentation titled `My first time: Initiation into injecting
drug use in Manipur and Nagaland`. The second presentation was
made by Gilbert Chinir on `A participatory intervention to
promote the mental health of widows of IDUs in Manipur and
Nagaland`. Prof MC Arun of Manipur University made a
presentation on `Fostering disability: Inclusive HIV/AIDS
programmes in Manipur and Nagaland`.

The research projects which began in June 2006 were funded by
United Kingdom Department for International Development,
Research and Learning Fund and implemented by the Australian
International Health Institute (University of Melbourne),
Emmanuel Hospital Association (India) and a range of local
partners in Manipur and Nagaland.

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

4. Chief Justice stresses on AIDS awareness at grassroots
level.[Guwahati]
www.zeenews.com, March 10, 2007.
http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=359259&sid=REG


Guwahati: The spread of HIV-AIDS and the trafficking of women
can be countered by creating awareness about these issues at
the grassroots level, Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan
said on Saturday.

The judiciary and the masses too need to be sensitised on these
two issues, Balakrishnan told the inaugural session of a
two-day "judicial colloquim for development of policies and
programmes for the northeast region mandating social justice
and equality for survivors of trafficking and HIV-AIDS" here.

The problems of drug abuse, HIV-AIDS and trafficking of women
have assumed serious dimensions in the northeast as most states
of the region share borders with foreign countries, he said.

Balakrishnan pointed out that illegal activities like
trafficking of women and the spread of HIV-AIDS despite the
high level of literacy rate in the region was a cause of major
concern.

He emphasized the need to sensitise the judiciary and the
people to the evil of trafficking to eradicate it and to create
awareness at the grassroots level even among people living
below the poverty line.

The implementation of welfare laws has to be worked out by
avoiding the middle man and NGOs and social organisations have
to come together to rehabilitate victims of trafficking.

Balakrishnan emphasised the need to lend a helping hand to
people with HIV-AIDS rather than organising seminars or
workshops on the issue in five-star hotels.

He urged Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to look into the
allocation of funds for better judicial infrastructure that
would result in better administration of justice.

He also said laws on child labour and the constitutional
provision for free and compulsory education of children have
to be strictly implemented to tackle the trafficking of
children.

Speaking on the occasion, Gogoi said maximum emphasis must be
placed on stopping trafficking first and then on the
rehabilitation of victims.

He admitted that efforts to fight the trafficking of women and
HIV-AIDS have failed and the government and judiciary along
with NGOs must commit themselves to eradicating these problems.

The most poignant moment of the colloquium was when
Ella Sangma, a woman from Assam who was rescued from a
trafficking ring, requested the Chief Justice to set up a home
for women like her who have been rescued but have no place to
stay in.

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

5. AIDS awareness campaign to ride on World Cup 2007.[Bombay]
www.financialexpress.com, March 11, 2007.
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=157375


Bombay: The World Cup is about cricket and high quality
cricket. The World Cup is about euphoria and tragedy. The World
Cup is also about showcasing multiple and varied fan cultures,
often ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous. At the same
time the World Cup is not only about cricket. It is also about
using the power of cricket to accomplish things for mankind,
especially in cricket playing societies across the world. It is
about using cricket to spread the message of racial harmony,
advance class integration and finally create social awareness
on issues like HIV/AIDS.

To their credit, the ICC, alongside the organisers of
World Cup 2007, have taken up the issue of social
responsibility more seriously than ever in the days leading up
to the tournament. So much so that when the teams march out for
the opening ceremony in Jamaica, they will, besides being
gladiators on a mission, be cricket's ambassadors to creating
awareness about HIV/AIDS across the Caribbean. Players from all
the 16 participating nations are expected to wear the red
ribbon as they walk out, making the opening ceremony of
WC 2007 special. The aim is to showcase the spirit of cricket
and spread the message of AIDS awareness among underprivileged
communities across the 14 Caribbean Islands.

Sport and issues of social responsibility are old folks. The
NBA for example has an extremely sophisticated social
responsibility programme. The English Premier League too is
involved in several community outreach programmes, the most
notable being one that provides support to underprivileged
school children across the British Isles. Cricket too joined
this league in 2003 when the ICC entered into a formal
partnership with the United Nations to create awareness about
HIV/AIDS. This partnership, four years old, will for the first
time be used on a truly large scale during World Cup 2007.

Says Chris Hurst, corporate communications manager of the ICC,
"There will be public system announcements before every World
Cup match. We have already received support from stars like
Rahul Dravid, Ricky Ponting and Kumar Sangakkara, players who
have agreed to be our ambassadors in this initiative. The plan
is to have 16 ambassadors, one from each of the participating
nations".

Outreach camps are being organised on non-match days and the
cricketers are expected to travel to the remote areas in the
islands to meet victims and children to generate awareness.
While doing so, the project is also expected to serve the cause
of bringing the communities together, yet another necessity
felt by local Caribbean societies for years. The focus of the
outreach programmes, as Hurst mentioned to me at the day-long
conference on cricket organised by the Institute of
Commonwealth Studies, University of London, on March 2, are
men and women between 18 and 25 years (teens to the youth).
Advertisements announcing these programmes have already been
prepared and hoardings are being put up across the Caribbean.

At the same time, local media houses like the Caribbean
Broadcasting Media have joined hands with the ICC in trying to
disseminate the message of awareness widely. With their local
expertise, the programme is more than likely to stand out in
the coming seven weeks of cricket frenzy giving the tournament
an added dimension.

Interestingly, the ICC plans to offer access to the
advertisements to broadcasters across the world. With Sony,
the host broadcaster in India, zeroing in on the concept of
racial harmony in all their pre-World Cup campaigns, it is
likely that viewers in India will also be able to find out more
about this much-needed ICC campaign.

The ICC's reasoning in picking up HIV/AIDS is also profound.
Says Hurst, "HIV/AIDS is a huge menace in cricketing countries
across the world. There are 12 million AIDS victims in the
Test playing countries, essentially in the Caribbean,
South Africa and India. Hence we decided to tackle this issue
rather than anything else. We are well aware that we can't
solve the problem. Nor are we claiming that our efforts will
do so. What we are determined to do however is to create
awareness, to educate people about the problem. If that is
achieved our aim is fulfilled".

In an interesting initiative, the ICC has used the World Cup
mascot Mello to bolster this campaign. Mello is a youthful,
friendly character and is seen wearing a blue short-sleeved
shirt, a golden pendant, white vest, khaki trousers and blue
sneakers. He is shown leaning on a bat and tossing a white
cricket ball in the air with legs crossed. The red ribbon on
his shirt shows the teenager's awareness for HIV/AIDS.

With CWC 2003 using the Zebra as mascot to spread the gospel
of racial unification and CWC 2007 following in its wake, that
cricket has a purpose beyond the playing field is clear. While
it is true that campaigns such as these can hardly ever
fundamentally transform society, it is also worth remembering
that every droplet contributes to making an ocean. And in this
case this campaign is surely worth much more than a droplet.

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

6. Wrong Initiative to Contain AIDS? [India]
www.gorkhapatra.org.np, March 12, 2007.
http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/content.php?nid=14400


India: Sarita knew nothing about HIV/AIDS until her husband
tested positive. A few months later, she and her elder daughter
also tested positive. This was four years ago. Her husband died
in 2002.

Pre-marital testing

Life has taught her many bitter lessons: It has taught her that
women cannot negotiate safe sex due to their disadvantaged
position in society as well as due to lack of personal power.
"Women in fact are more at risk of getting infected from their
partner because of their vulnerability," she says.

Yet, she doesn't support the Goa government's decision to make
HIV/AIDS testing mandatory before marriage. Sarita (name
changed) believes that awareness and counselling - not
mandatory pre-marital testing - are the need of the hour. The
government needs to impart information, educate people and
counsel women about HIV when they are adolescents, thereby
helping them to protect themselves from getting infected.

Despite opposition from people living with HIV and activists
working with HIV+ persons, the state government has decided to
go ahead with its proposed plan to make HIV/AIDS testing
mandatory before marriage. Health Minister Dayanand Narvekar
maintains that the decision has been taken in the interest of
the people. If passed in the state legislature, Goa will be the
first state in India to implement this law.

The National AIDS Control Organisation's (NACO) policy on
testing is very clear. It encourages voluntary testing after
counselling as the appropriate public health strategy in
dealing with HIV/AIDS. Dr Denis Broun, Country Director,
UNAIDS (United Nations AIDS programme) maintains, "You can
curb the disease only by spreading information, counselling
and convincing families to go for HIV testing before marriage.
The government shouldn't interfere and introduce mandatory
testing before marriage".

Even the Roman Catholic Church in Goa has opposed the move.
Besides issuing a public statement opposing the proposed law,
it has sent letters to members of the legislative assembly and
ministers dissuading them from supporting a legislation that
would affect human freedom and dignity. "Any legislation in
this regard, apparently for the so-called well-being or for
the utility of any single individual citizen or citizens in
general, must be just, acceptable and respectable," said Fr.
Socorro Mendes, Director, Family Service Centre, Archdiocese
of Goa.

However, the state health authorities argue that HIV affects
people primarily when they are most productive and leads to
premature death, thereby severely affecting the socio-economic
structure of whole families and communities. "A majority of
women infected with HIV/AIDS in Goa are in the age group of
15 to 35," said an official from the health department, on
condition of anonymity.

Officials at the Goa State AIDS Control Society (GSACS) are
tight-lipped about the issue as they find themselves
sandwiched between the state government policy and that of
NACO on HIV/AIDS.

Meanwhile, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working with
people living with HIV believe that such a proposal will have
a harmful impact on the state's efforts to contain HIV/AIDS as
it is based neither on sound public health policy nor on human
rights principles. "It is going to be a disaster in the end. In
Goa, there is no clinching evidence to suggest that a woman is
infected during marriage. In fact, the 2005 Sentinel Survey for
Goa shows that none were infected in the antenatal setting, a
marker for mainstream women," said Anand Grover, Director,
Lawyers Collective HIV/AIDS Unit.

Activists say that they are opposed to the state government's
decision because it may create an alarm and drive the disease
underground and give the state a false sense of security that
the infection is being effectively prevented from spreading.
They also fear that this would also lead to the issuance of
false certificates prior to marriage, thereby having a negative
impact on the entire public health system. Besides, the
strategy also does not take into account a large number of
young people having sex at the pre-marital stage or
post-marriage stages, which can lead to the infection, they
added.

Dr. Eugene D'Silva, a gynaecologist, said that pre-marital
testing does not prevent persons from getting infected after
marriage. "What about people who are tested during the window
period? During the window period, even if a person is infected,
they would be tested negative, as the antibodies are not
developed," he noted.

"The plan to introduce mandatory pre-marital HIV testing is not
based on any scientific study. Any programme for prevention or
intervention has to be based on concrete scientific studies so
that it helps contain the disease. HIV mandatory testing has
only proved to be counter-productive," said Beethoven Fonseca,
who works with Positive People, an NGO.

Failure

Interestingly, pre-marital testing is not something new. It has
been tried at other places and failed. The American Civil
Liberties Union Report of March 1998 reported that mandatory
pre-marital HIV testing was a failure. It stated that more
than 30 states in the USA considered pre-marital HIV testing.
However, all the states except for Illinois and Louisiana
rejected the idea. Illinois and Louisiana enacted and enforced
mandatory pre-marital testing, but subsequently repealed them.

Can the Goa government hope to succeed where others have
failed?

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

7. How personal is your question on HIV? [Mumbai]
www.indiaprwire.com, March 13, 2007.
http://www.indiaprwire.com/pressrelease/health-care/200703132216.htm


Mumbai: For the first time in India, an initiative urges you
to seek the most specific information you would require on
HIV/AIDS. Heroes Project, the largest nongovernmental public
service campaign in India, has launched a one-of-a-kind
initiative called Specific Query Response (SQR). Marking the
launch of the second Public service announcement (PSA), the
campaign already boasts of over 25,000 smses in the span of
one month.

This unique initiative encourages an individual to ask any
question on HIV/AIDS-it could be complicated, intimate,
intense or personal - and send it as an SMS to 7827. He/She
would get a tailor-made answer tohis/her specific query on
his/her mobile phone within 24 hours from a trained medical
counselor. The campaign has received noteworthy response as
it provides the individual with an open avenue for information
on HIV/AIDS that is easily accessible within an arms reach of
his own mobile phone, at the same time ensurescomplete privacy
and confidentiality.

Heroes Project's partnership with STAR India which began in
2004, has evolved from just airing of Public Service
Announcements (PSAs) for general awareness to engaging
platforms with a distinct 'Call–to-action' message. For the
SQR initiative, Star has set up the backend and has provided
an Internet link to all the queries on HIV/AIDS sent to 7827
which are answered by a trained Medical Counselor from Heroes
Project. This initiative targeted at Urban and Semi Urban
Youth will be rolled out for a period of three months – i.e.
till April 2007.

Speaking on the initiative, Kanika Singh, Executive Director,
Heroes Project says, 'HIV/AIDS is a sensitive issue and people
seeking information may have their own specific question to
ask, the answer to which may not be clarified with general
information. Keeping this need in mind, to allow easy and
accurate flow of information, Specific Query Response has
been designed and the remarkable initial response speaks for
itself. Also encouraging is the support we have received from
our partners especially Star India, all of whom are working
with us on a pro bono basis; reiterating our belief in the
initiative'.

The campaign is being rolled out through a 360 degree approach.
The PSAs are being aired on the Star bouquet of channels,
namely Star Plus, Star One, Star World, Star Movies, Star
Gold, Star Utsav, Star Vijay and [v] India. Additional mediums
have been employed through the internet, emailers, posters,
presence at events, voice promotions, in store promotions,
sms campaigns, etc. Leading advertising and media portals
viz. www.agencyfaqs.com, www.indiantelevision.com,
www.exchange4media.com, TAG Media Network Inc - the country's
first in-store television network, etc have supported the
initiative, thus enabling wider reach.

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

8. Indian woman sets self, son on fire after husband HIV
positive.[New Delhi]
www.earthtimes.org, March 13, 2007.
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/39608.html


New Delhi: A woman in India's western state of Gujarat set
herself and her two-year-old son on fire after finding out her
husband was HIV positive, a news report said Tuesday. The boy
succumbed to the burn injuries while the woman, who was in a
critical condition, was admitted to a local hospital, the PTI
news agency reported.

Initial investigations revealed the 24-year-old woman attempted
immolation by pouring kerosene on herself and the boy on Monday
night. Hearing the screams, relatives came to their rescue and
rushed them to hospital.

Relatives told police she was disturbed since her husband
divulged he was HIV positive on Monday morning.

There is a great deal of stigma attached with the HIV/AIDS
pandemic in India, which health experts blame on a low level
of awareness.

In February, a woman suspected of having contracted AIDS was
beaten to death by her in-laws in the eastern state of Orissa.

HIV-positive people in India often face discrimination at their
workplace, have been rejected by families, spouses and
communities and in many cases are refused medical treatment at
hospitals and clinics.

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

9. Workshop on HIV issues held.[Imphal]
www.kanglaonline.com, March 13, 2007.
http://www.kanglaonline.com/index.php?template=headline&newsid=36870&typeid=1


Imphal: A dissemination and capacity building workshop for
DFID funded population council studies on assessment of sexual
behaviour and sexual networks of IDUs in Delhi and Imphal,
India and issues relating to paediatric ART and access of HIV
infected children to care, organised by the Social Awareness
Service Organisation, SASO, began at Hotel Imphal today.

Dr Kh Pramod, Project Director, Manipur AIDS Control Society
said the workshop is well-timed and encouraging since it
touches the topics which were not explored by the NGOs working
in the field earlier

He also said that the findings of the workshop will help in
further implementation of programmes to be taken up in these
fields.

During the technical sessions, Aruna Bhattacharya presented a
paper titled, `Understanding the sexual risk behaviour and
sexual networking pattersn of IDUs of Delhi and Imphal.

According to Bhattacharya, her study was to explore patterns
of risky sexual behaviour among idus, and to examine the socal
context and social networking characteristics of high risk
behaviour in the two states. It was based on respondent driven
sampling from male respondents from the two states.

While giving her conclusions, she observed that the awareness
of sexual risks of the IDUs is higher in Imphal than in Delhi.

She noted that most sexual behaviour is within regular partner
relationships, but condom use with regular partner is low. HIV
testing for this high risk population is also low and needle
sharing exchange programme may not be reaching the target group
effectively.

She stressed the need for tailored intervention to the two
different epidemics, i.e HIV and Hepatitis.

I Ahmed, also presented a paper on `What influences treatment
and care among HIV positive children: a diagnostic study`, in
which he presented a cross sectional study design based on
data gathered from four sites of Karnataka, two from Andhra
Pradesh and one from Imphal, Manipur

Methodology included in-depth interviews with purposively
selected caregivers of HIV infected children under 12 years
and adolescents aged between 12 and 16 years from the three
states.

The study was done with an objective to explore the
facilitators and barriers to accessing care for HIV positve
children, and assess the current level of adherence to ART
among children receiving treatment and to understand the
factors that influence adherence to treatment.

While presenting he stressed on difficulties in getting HIV
diagnosis and referrals, disclosure of HIV status by caregivers
(parents), access to services, social support, caregiver
knowledge on ART, difficulties faced and incentives used in
ART intake etc

He however said compared to the other three states, Manipur is
doing quite well.

He stressed on the need for more studies to document adherence
issue on a larger scale and at public sector facilities, better
preparation and ongoing support for caregivers with regard to
adherence and need for HIV positive children to be diagnosed
and brought into health care earlier to benefit from
co-trimoxazole prophylaxis and nutritional support.

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

10. Tata Steel receives CSR award from USIBC.[Mumbai]
The Economic Times, March 14, 2007.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Tata_Steel_receives_CSR_award_from_USIBC/art\
icleshow/1764080.cms


Mumbai: The US-India business council (USIBC) has conferred
the 'award for corporate social responsibility in public
health' to domestic steel major, Tata Steel.

Managing director of the company B Muthuraman received the
award from Hollywood star Ashley Judd at a programme late last
evening.

USIBC is a premier advocacy organisation representing the
largest US companies investing in india.

Receiving the award, given to recognise their contribution for
combating HIV/AIDS, Muthuraman said that Tata Steel always
believed in empowering the local people in the region it
operates, which has definitely had an impact on its results.

He said that the company has been conducting approximately 250
AIDS awareness programmes within the workplace since the last
ten years annually.

Tata Steel evolved a corporate social model to prevent HIV/AIDS
and constituted a core group - AIDS and Nodal Centre - to focus
on the disease and formulate strategies for its control and
prevention back in 1994, he said.

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

11. New plan for nutritional support to HIV positive kids.
[New Delhi]
The Hindu, March 14, 2007.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/14/stories/2007031421700500.htm


New Delhi: The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) has
cleared an ambitious new programme to provide nutritional
supplement to children enrolled under their Anti-Retroviral
Programme (ART) started last November. This major initiative
is aimed at covering the nutritional needs of over 3,000
children currently under the ART regime.

According to NACO Director-General Sujata Rao, the programme
would be rolled out next month and children would get
fortified powdered food supplements free of cost along with
the ART medical support. "The supplement is expected to take
care of 60 per cent of the child's calorie, protein and
micronutrient needs per day. The supplement will be available
to children across the country and we have already conducted
a field trial to understand the logistics required to carry on
this large exercise," she added.

The programme has been undertaken in collaboration with
technical support from several international agencies
including Clinton Foundation and World Food Programme.

"Children who are HIV positive are comparatively more prone
to infections and their nutritional needs thus are greater
than children of their age. According to experts, an
HIV-infected child with no symptoms needs 10 per cent
additional nutritional input per day and the requirement
increases with the presence of an infection. This powder
supplement can be mixed with a drink or added to the wheat
dough for use. It is made easy to use and tastes good. Parents
can be sure that their children are getting their daily
nutritional need and doctors will have the satisfaction of
knowing that the children on the ART programme are under a
monitored nutritional routine," said Dr. Jagdish Chandra,
Kalawati Saran Children's Hospital's Nodal Officer Paediatric
ART Centre.

Consultant HIV/AIDS the United Nations Children's Fund
Dr. Tripti Pensi said: "The provision for national supplement
is required to make effective the medical aid being provided
to children. We are satisfied with the results of the pilot
study ".

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

12. India to market female condoms.[Chennai]
mangalorean.com, March 15, 2007.
http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=40512


Chennai: India Wednesday launched a major initiative to
introduce female condoms across the country, with an NGO in
Tamil Nadu planning a usage study in six districts.

The central government, in collaboration with the Hindustan
Latex Ltd and the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO)
began a nationwide initiative in October to provide female
condoms at just Rs.3 to NGOs working with female sex workers.

The government has decided to distribute 500,000 female
condoms by June in the first phase at a cost of Rs.180,000 in
its second line of defence against HIV/AIDS, said a Tamil Nadu
State AIDS Control Society (TANSACS) official here.

The project will reach out to 11,000 sex workers in the
country with the help of 400 civil society groups. The first
part of the initiative, to cover 3,000 sex workers, will be
completed by the year-end.

The scheme is being implemented in eight states simultaneously,
with an initial acceptability study done in Tamil Nadu and an
operation research study in Gujarat and West Bengal.

TANSACS Wednesday announced that it has acquired 60,000 female
condoms and has begun distributing them through six NGOs in
Kanyakumari, Madurai, Tiruchirapally, Salem, Vellore and
Chennai.

"It is for the first time that a government (the Tamil Nadu
government) is supporting such a pilot project," TANSACS
Project Director Supriya Sahu told IANS.

"We are looking at the reproductive rights of women directly.
Most women do not have this right to choose. This is a HIV-AIDS
prevention tool under a woman's control," she said. "For the
first time, a woman will have a preventive tool in her own
hand".

"We will monitor and make public our findings on acceptability,
usage and efficacy by April in a report," said Sahu. TANSACS
will also reach female condoms to another 800,000 women
through self-help groups, she added.

A study in the late '90s found 60 percent of sex workers in
Tamil Nadu willing to use female condoms.

Each female condom costs Rs.50, but Hindustan Latex has made
them available to NACO at a subsidy. NACO will distribute
condoms to community health workers in ongoing AIDS prevention
programmes among commercial sex workers.

The community worker will get one condom at Rs.3 and will be
allowed to sell it to the user, a female commercial sex worker,
at Rs.5 as there has to be a 30 percent cost recovery for the
programme to succeed.

NACO is making the condoms available to AIDS control societies
in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat,
West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.

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

13. MP Govt stops sex education under AEP.[Bhopal]
The Times of India, March 18, 2007.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/MP_Govt_stops_sex_education_under_\
AEP/articleshow/1775956.cms


Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to stop
imparting sex education in schools under the Adolescence
Education Programme.

The programme, wherein students of standards IX and XI were
being imparted sex education for four days in a year, will
not be continued in the current form, official sources said
here today.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has issued instructions
to the school education department to stop its implementation
in view of gross graphics and pictorial descriptions used in
the course material. In a letter to HRD Minister Arjun Singh,
Chouhan said he was "surprised" by the pictures.

The course material was not produced before Singh. He would
never have sanctioned it. The Centre has completely forgotten
Indian traditions and values, the Chief Minister alleged.
Instead, the young generation should be imparted education on
Yoga and Indian traditions and values, he said in the letter
conveying the state government's decision.

The AEP, funded by National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO),
covered 19 districts under the first phase and 11 more were
added this year, the sources said. The decision to discontinue
it will have no impact on the AIDS control programmes being
carried out in the state, they added.

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

14. Using art of science to spread AIDS awareness.[Chandigarh]
The Indian Express, March 18, 2007.
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=227351


Chandigarh: Multimedia presentations on HIV/AIDS, fiberglass
models to explain the lifecycle of HIV and proper usage of
condoms, sex education with the help of a diorama and
interactive exhibits for children. This and much more is
being planned for the first AIDS gallery that will come up
at Pushpa Gujral Science City in Kapurthala.

The gallery, a first of its kind in the world, aims at
educating children with the help of colourful charts, models
and detailed explanation of how the Human Immunodeficiency
Virus (HIV) works. The gallery, which will be spread over
2,500 square feet and cost Rs 114 lakh, will be the first
gallery dedicated to a single disease.

"The increasing incidence of AIDS in Punjab and the fact that
it is listed by NACO as a state vulnerable to HIV/AIDS was the
motivation behind the idea," says Scientific Officer Dr Munish
Kumar. "Our aim is make children aware of the disease before
it is too late," he adds.

"On an average, 3,000 visitors come to Science City everyday
and majority of them are children and adolescents," says
Dr Kumar, adding, "With huge models, charts and simulated
demonstrations, children will not only understand the concept
but also not feel hesitant in asking questions".

For the AIDS gallery, they have roped in the Punjab State
AIDS Control Society (PSACS).

"Science City officials have submitted the project to us. We
have been working with them for spreading AIDS awareness. We
will forward the gallery project to NACO and hope to get help
from them," says Dr Daler Singh Multani, PSACS Joint Director.

Besides, the health gallery will add a biotechnology section.
"We have collaborations with various ministries," tells
Dr Kumar.

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

15. India's AIDS burden to ease.[New Delhi]
The Times of India, March 19, 2007.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/Indias_AIDS_burden_to_ease/article\
show/1780854.cms


New Delhi: The next two decades will witness a fall in India's
HIV/AIDS burden.

According to the UN Population Division's latest estimate,
India will see a drop of .2% in its overall prevalence of
HIV/AIDS by 2025. At present, .9% of the country's population
— 5.2 million people — are estimated to be living with
HIV/AIDS.

However, the report presents a dismal projection of the
country's adult anti-retroviral treatment coverage. It says
that only 50% of those who need the life saving treatment will
actually get it in 2015.

This puts India in the same bracket as countries like Myanmar,
Congo, Ghana, Russia, Zimbabwe, China, Tanzania and South
Africa where treatment levels are expected to be low, reaching
between 40% and 50% of the infected population by 2015.
According to India's National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO),
nearly 85,000 HIV infected adults, or 16%, are on ART
treatment, of whom 60,000 are being treated in the government
sector and 25,000 in the private sector. NACO aims to bring
over three lakh people under ART by 2011.

Speaking to TOI, Dr B B Rewari, NACO's national ART consultant,
said, "We agree with the projection that India will see a drop
in HIV/AIDS burden in the next decade. This will mainly occur
due to two reasons — patients with advanced AIDS will die while
prevention activities and ART will halt or reduce new
infections.

In the last three years, we have already seen the epidemic
stabilise with estimated cases being 5.13 million, 5.2 million
and 5.26 million. Under NACP III, we hope to achieve zero level
growth".

However, Dr Rewari does not agree with the report's ART
coverage projection. He said, "We will topple our target of
reaching three lakh HIV/AIDS patients with ART by 2011, which
actually means a 60% coverage. Not all HIV patients need ART
treatment. By 2015, we will be far ahead of the UN projected
50% coverage mark".

According to the UN report, 62 countries are considered to be
highly affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, 40 of which are in
Africa. UN experts believe 31 of these most affected countries
will manage to provide, by 2015, ART to 70% or more people
suffering from AIDS. The report — which assumed that persons
receiving treatment survive, on average, 17.5 years instead of
the 10 years expected in the absence of treatment — estimates
32 million fewer deaths from AIDS during the 2005-2020 period
in the 62 most affected countries compared with the previous
estimate in 2004.

Hania Zlotnik, the division's director, said, "The world's
population is expected to soar to 9.2 billion by 2050, largely
because AIDS will not kill as many people as initially feared
in the developing world. The population will get a boost from
the rising use of ART drugs and a downward prevalence of AIDS
in some countries".

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

16. HIV+, yet a beautiful life.[Pune]
The Times of India, March 20, 2007.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/HIV_yet_a_beautiful_life/articleshow/1780989.\
cms


Pune: Danny West (46) is a positive man in more ways than one.
Living with HIV for the past 22 years, Danny was invited by a
Pune pharmaceutical company to interact and inspire positive
people at their care and support centre, Taal, at Nana Peth.

A qualified social worker living in the UK, Danny has been
working in the field of HIV/AIDS by providing training and
education to people living with the disease through his
organisation Realising Your Life.

According to Danny, positive people need to face the challenge
posed by the virus by first empowering themselves. "It is
important for us to be informed and educated about the virus.

Thus empowered, we take on our relationships, families and work
with a positive approach,"he said. "It is only when we are
properly informed and begin to take decisions for ourselves
that we can become leaders,"said Danny, who is set to begin a
one-ofits-kind leadership programme for HIV positive people in
the UK from April 2 this year.

He said that unlike in the UK, the fight against HIV/AIDS here
is still in its early days.

"The major challenges here are the taboos that HIV raises
about sex, sexuality, drugs and death. This is what makes
tackling HIV incidence a difficult situation. But people here
can use this as an opportunity to talk openly about these
issues and understand them".

Pointing out the silver lining, he said, "In the UK, HIV/AIDS
is considered a predominantly gay, drug abusers' and, now,
African affliction. The public is considered almost impervious
to the virus. Hence, there are no national campaigns against
HIV there. In that way, India is better".

Danny, a gay himself, who has been on anti-retroviral therapy
only for the last five years, stressed on adopting a positive
attitude towards life in order to beat the virus.

"You have to take care of yourself, eat a healthy diet,
exercise, sleep well and laugh a lot,"he told his audience.

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

17. Doctor's film on AIDS shoots down myths.[Mumbai]
www.andhracafe.com, March 21, 2007.
http://www.andhracafe.com/index.php?m=show&id=20458


Mumbai: Doctor-filmmaker Jorge Guillermo Caravotta, whose AIDS
documentary 'Second Life' was released recently, says people
are dying more from the stigma attached to the disease than the
disease itself.

India has 5.1 million HIV positive people, second only to
South Africa. However, the stigma and discrimination associated
with this disease are the real enemies, said Mumbai-based
Caravotta, an Italian doctor of Argentine origin.

'My source of inspiration was Kamal, the first PLHA (person
living with HIV/AIDS) to be my colleague,' he said.

Kamal discovered her HIV/AIDS status six months into marriage.
After her husband's death and daughter's birth, she completed
her medical studies to 'live for positive people like her',
says Caravotta's film.

'I never thought of making a documentary film about HIV/AIDS
before. But after listening to her during a trip to Delhi, I
found in her story a lot of courage to empower PLHAs,'
Caravotta told IANS.

'India acted as an alarm clock for my film-making creativity,
boosting my potential,' he added. 'I would like the message of
the documentary film spread all over this country with the same
velocity as the virus'.

The National Family Health Survey, the most extensive study on
health and nutrition in India, reported that 57 percent of
women are unaware of HIV/AIDS. Health officials and doctors
still reject patients suffering from this fatal illness, the
doctor said.

Big companies are unclear about the disease, said Caravotta.
Families eject children from their homes if they contract
HIV/AIDS. Some institutions refuse to take care of HIV positive
children, he added.

'Can we stop this epidemic with condoms? Can we stop it with
antiretrovirals? Can we stop this epidemic with pamphlets
only?' he asked.

'My main objective in 2004 was not to make a documentary, but
to record some incidents about PLHAs. Then, in 2006, I was
touched by the transformation of the people and this was the
beginning of my film,' he added.

The Humanity Films Year produced the Hindi-Marathi 'Second
Life' with English subtitles. The documentary was first shown
in December.

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

18. Studying the prevalence of HIV in TB patients.[Chennai]
The Hindu, March 22, 2007.
http://www.hindu.com/seta/2007/03/22/stories/2007032200611700.htm


Chennai: Even as "Difficulties in working alongside the
better-funded efforts to tackle AIDS permeate many aspects of
TB prevention, treatment and research" as the Editorial
in the latest issue of Nature points out, the scenario in
India is changing for the better.

With their immunity compromised, TB is one of the most common
opportunistic infections in those with HIV/AIDS. And such
coinfection often proves fatal.


Greater possibility

And with a total TB burden of 8.5 million as per 2000
estimates, and almost 1.8 million new cases occurring every
year, the chances of over 5 million HIV positive people
getting TB are quite high.

It is to address this problem that the prevalence of TB in
HIV infected people, and HIV in those with TB are being
studied in India.

Earlier, TB patients were provided with information to get
tested for HIV. But there was no way of ensuring that patients
indeed went for the HIV test.

"We lost many patients in the process," noted Supriya Sahu,
Project Director, Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society
(TANSACS).

The National Surveillance Survey conducted by the Central TB
Division is under way to address this problem. The
surveillance survey has been expanded to cover 20 districts
in the country, with two being in Tamil Nadu, and has been
designed to test for HIV in all the newly diagnosed TB
patients.

This would help understand the prevalence of HIV in newly
diagnosed TB patients.

The study in two districts in Tamil Nadu — Thiruvannamalai and
Villupuram — started in December last year.


Automatically tested

This is a pilot study where every newly diagnosed TB patient
is automatically tested for HIV at the designated microscopy
centres and is unlike the earlier scenario when healthcare
providers used their discretion to decide who should be asked
to go for HIV testing.

The two districts in Tamil Nadu where the surveillance will be
carried out will be operational till 400 samples are collected
from each centre. "All newly diagnosed TB patients and who are
already on DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course) for
two months will be tested for HIV," said Ms. Sahu.

Unlike the conventional practice, the newly diagnosed TB
patients will neither be informed nor their consent taken
before they are tested for HIV.

But is testing for HIV without the patients' knowledge ethical?

"It is an unlinked and anonymous HIV testing," she explained.
"The samples will be coded and nobody will ever know the
patients' HIV status. So there is no need to take the patients'
consent. We are following the WHO protocol". The only
parameters that will be known are the age and sex of the
patients and their TB status.

But will zeroing in on newly diagnosed TB patients alone be a
truly representative sample? "Nearly 80 per cent of those who
come for testing to designated microscopy centres are new
cases," said Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Deputy Director,
Tuberculosis Research Centre, Chennai.


Another study

A similar study to understand the prevalence of HIV in newly
diagnosed TB patients was undertaken in 2005-2006 by
Dr. Swaminathan. The study funded by TANSACS looked at four
districts — Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Chennai and Vellore —
in Tamil Nadu. Unlike the surveillance study undertaken by

TANSACS, Dr. Swaminathan's study did not collect blood samples
for HIV testing from the newly diagnosed TB patients. Instead,
they were provided with information and counselled to get
tested for HIV.

"One of the objectives of our study was to see the level of
acceptance by TB patients to getting tested for HIV
Dr. Swaminathan explained. "And we found that about
70 per cent of TB patients were convinced of the virtue of
getting tested for HIV".

People who did not go in for HIV testing were those who
considered themselves as too old to get infected with HIV
or were not at risk of getting infected. "Women generally
considered themselves not at risk," she noted.

Studying co-infection

Another study that TANSACS intends to undertake in Tiruchi
district, Tamil Nadu, is to see the level of co-infection with
HIV and TB. Patients diagnosed with TB will be sent to
voluntary counselling and testing centres (VCTC) and all who
test positive for HIV will be sent to designated microscopy
centres to check for their TB status.

The study on co-infection will be the first of its kind in the
country. "This will not be a surveillance study," Ms. Sahu
said. The protocol for the study is yet to be drawn up.

Under the joint TB-HIV action plan started in 2005 by NACO in
six high prevalence HIV States, including Tamil Nadu, those
coming to VCTC for HIV testing and suspected of having TB are
referred for TB testing.

The second, third and fourth quarter results of the 2005 joint
TB-HIV action plan found that of the 6,055 persons from the
six states who tested positive for HIV, 1,601 were also
infected with TB.

This highlights the seriousness of coinfection with HIV/AIDS
and TB in people living in India. And it is only to be expected
as the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and TB is high in the country.


Showing the way

India, South Africa and a few other countries are indeed
showing the world and international bodies, including the
WHO, on the ways of tackling the problem and working in a more
coordinated manner.

Researchers in India working on TB, much like their
counterparts in other countries, still do not get generous
funding unlike those working on HIV/AIDS, and unlike HIV/AIDS,
TB has failed to attract the kind of attention it deserves.

But these conditions have not stopped the researchers from
starting to work in a more coordinated manner. That is good
for India and those suffering from HIV/AIDS and TB.

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

19. In two yrs, 3 thalassaemic kids contract AIDS through
transfusion.[Gandhinagar]
The Indian Express, March 22, 2007.
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=228052


Gandhinagar: IN what is a shocking admission, three children
suffering from thalassaemia have contracted AIDS after getting
infected by HIV through blood transfusion in the State in the
last two years. A concerned State government has ordered a high
level inquiry by two senior Ahmedabad Medical College doctors
to look into the three cases.

In total 180 people have been infected HIV through blood
transfusion. The three cases have been reported from 2,364
cases of thalassaemia major children in the State. Health
Minister Ashok Bhatt informed this in the House in response
to a starred question by BJP MLA Dr. Mayaben Kodnani.

Bhatt informed the House that the inquiry would look into all
aspects of how the children could have caught HIV when the
government follows strict norms for the blood banks. "It's a
serious matter and has come to light only while gathering
details for replying to member's question. We have taken up a
detailed inquiry and suitable action would be taken," Bhatt
said. Doctors N Chaudhary and M D Gajjar are investigating the
case.

Replying to another question, Minister Ashok Bhatt also
revealed that State's medical colleges are short of faculty
members. Of the 289 posts lying vacant, 30 are of professors,
104 of readers, 112 of assistant professors, and, 43 of tutors.
While 191 vacancies came into being in the last one year,
47 posts had been lying vacant over the last two years and
another 51 for over two years.

The Health Minister had written this in reply to a starred
question asked by Khambat BJP MLA Shirish Kumar Shukul. The
MLA had sought to know how many posts of educational experts
are lying vacant in medical colleges across the State as per
Medical Council of India (MCI) guidelines.

About measures taken to fill up vacancies, the Government said
that vacancies in medical colleges under the medical education
division of the Health Department are filled by promotions. The
Public Services Commission has sent 155 demand notes for 937
posts in the last three years, of which 185 appointments have
been made. Another 988 were appointed through ads published in
newspapers. In January 2007 alone, 203 appointments have been
made to various posts.

Of the total 13 medical colleges in the State, the Government
runs six, two are run by Municipal Corporations, while private
trusts run five of them. In response to another question asked
by Amreli Congress MLA Paresh Dhanani, the Government has even
admitted that at the time of annual Medical Council of India
(MCI) inspections, doctors from the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital
are temporarily transferred to Bhavnagar, Surat, Rajkot and
other medical colleges to show compliance with the norms.

However, the Government denies that this affects the quality
of medical education in the State in any way.

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

20. State girl feted with award for HIV/AIDS coverage.
[New Delhi]
The Sangai Express, March 23, 2007.
http://www.e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=7..240307.mar07


New Delhi: Delhi-based NGO HIV and Human Development and
Resource Network (HDRN) today awarded journalists for their
sensitive coverage of human trafficking and HIV related issues
at a function in which a media commitment of support to
coverage of social sector problems was unveiled.

"People living with HIV/AIDS are treated as if they have a
limited life.

We forget that all of us have a limited life," said Kumar
Ketkar, Chief Editor of Marathi daily Loksatta while
addressing the function.

In his address, V S Chandrasekar, Executive Editor of the
Press Trust of India, said the news agency was not driven by
commercial considerations and provided as much vigorous
coverage as possible of social sector issues in its wire
services as well as features service.

The HDRN-instituted media awards are supported by the
United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) Prevention of
Trafficking HIV and AIDS in Women and Girls (TAHA) project.

The awardees were given a citation and Rs 25,000 in cash.

The ceremony also saw the unveiling of a statement of
commitment to highlight the issues by Indian media which
included organisations like PTI, Indian Express, NDTV, The
Hindu, Loksatta and Aaj Tak among others.

The awardees included Supratim Banerjee and Shams Tahir Khan
(Aaj Tak), Rajat Sharma (India TV), Deepak Tiwari and
K Sachidananda Murthy (The Week), Peetu Nair and
Peter D'Souza (Gomantak Times), Pramod Suman and
Anjani Kumar (Prabhat Khabar), Savad Rahman and
A S Suresh Kumar (Madhyamam Malayalam Daily), Akoijam
Sunita (Imphal Free Press) and Shekhar Deshmukh and Kumar
Ketkar (Loksatta).

The awardees were chosen from as many as 300 entries.

Addressing the function, L D Mandloi, Director General,
Doordarshan, said `Kalyani clubs', a DD programme focusing
on healthrelated issues and involving audience participation,
has been a huge success and over 5,000 such clubs have been
started since the inception of the award-winning series in
2002.

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

21. CII workshop on HIV.[Bhopal]
www.centralchronicle.com, March 23, 2007.
http://www.centralchronicle.com/20070324/2403021.htm


Bhopal: Concerted effort is being made in the area of Care and
Treatment of people living with HIV/AIDS both in India and
across the globe. India is increasingly shifting its focus
towards providing universal access to treatment of people
living with HIV/AIDS, in order to both, prevent spread of HIV
and provide better case of infected patients. Presently there
is a lack of expertise in this field and hence a requirement
for training.

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) which is working in
the area of care, support and treatment of HIV/AIDS since 1996
through its Indian Business Trust for HIV/AIDS (IBT), in
partnership with the Australia India Council (AIC), are
conducting capacity building clinical care training programme
for medical professionals to enhance their skills while
providing care and treatment. The programme is supported by
the NACO. 700 doctors from 17 cities and 300 nurses and lab
technicians from 6 cities have been trained as part of this
programme, since its inception in 2003.

Against this background, a one and half day "HIV/AIDS Clinical
Care - Train the Trainer Workshop" is being conducted jointly
by CII, IBT and AIC in Bhopal on 23-24 March 2007. The
objective of the workshop is to bring together the medical
professionals on a common platform to learn from each other
and provide an interactive and educative environment to
discuss various issues related to the treatment of HIV/AIDS
patients. The workshop includes discussions and case study
presentations on initiation of treatment, dose of drugs,
interaction between drugs, treatment of opportunistic
(unusual) infections, and prevention of the development of
resistance to anti HIV drugs.

Prof. Suzanne Crowe, Head, AIDS Pathogenesis and Clinical
Research Programme, NHRMC Principal Research Fellow, Macfarlane
Burnet Institute for Medical Reserch and Public Health,
Melbourne, Australia; Prof. Sharon Ruth Lewin, Director
Infectious Diseases, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia,
Prof John Mills, Professor of Medicine, Microbiology and
Epidemiology at Monash University and a Consulting Physician
in the Infectious Diseases Department of the Alfred Hospital,
Melbourne, Australia and Dr Brajendra Mishra, Asst. Professor,
Department of PSM, Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal are the
resource faculties for the workshop.

Today during inaugural session, in his welcome address,
Mr Subhash Vithaldas, Chairman, CII Madhya Pradesh State
Council said that CII is very much conscious of the need for
prevention and care of HIV/AIDS and working closely with the
industry, in this direction since 1996. The Indian Business
Trust for HIV/AIDS (IBT), was established by CII in the year
2000, to bring focus on the HIV/ AIDS work, to engage the
business leadership and provide a forum for convergence, for
the Industries' response to AIDS, he added.

Ms Saleena Singh IAS, Project Director, Madhya Pradesh State
AIDS Control Society (MPSACS) addressed the workshop today.
Although Madhya Pradesh is still a low prevalence State, the
land locked status of the state surrounded by five states
with lot of migration and varied socio-cultural constitutions
and practices - necessitates close monitoring and
implementation of AIDS Control Programme, said Ms Singh while
giving an overview of HIV/AIDS in Madhya Pradesh and MPSACS
AIDS Control programmes.

Medical professionals including those from the Army,
Clinicians, Lab Technicians from various hospitals and
medical institutions are attending this one and half day
workshop, which will conclude on 24 March 2007.

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22. AIDS-afflicted groom arrested for cheating bride.
[Hyderabad]
www.zeenews.com, March 27, 2007.
http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?rep=2&aid=360012&sid=REG


Hyderabad: It is a sorry state of affairs that a well-educated
engineer of Hyderabad hid the vital fact from his bride that he
had AIDS. Thankfully the same was discovered just before the
wedding night following which the groom was arrested for hiding
important information from the bride and her family.

This is what happened in the Warangal district of Andhra
Pradesh where the groom landed in jail due to hiding the report
that confirmed that he had the disease. Two Zee News
correspondents did an exclusive story on the same.

The groom, S. Srihari was an engineer by profession and hailed
from the state of Hyderabad. The bride was from Warangal. On
March 7, 2007 the wedding ceremony took place. The needle of
suspicion was pointed in the direction of the groom when news
was received by the girl's family that the man whom their
daughter was getting married to was actually an AIDS patient.

But still the wedding formalities got completed after which an
HIV test was performed. The report was hidden from the bride's
family. But still the matter got revealed somehow to the girl's
family and the worst fears got confirmed. The groom got arrested
after the girl's family lodged a complaint in the police
station.

S. Srihari was arrested by the police just before the wedding
night. Defending himself he said that he was oblivious to how
he contracted the infection. In his words he had had an
accident a year back following which he had needed blood
transmission. So he had got admitted to Gandhi hospital. That
could possibly be the reason how he got the disease as per him.

The sub-inspector of the police station which arrested him
stated that hiding such information was criminal in nature and
therefore appropriate action would be taken under law. When the
girl's family was approached for comment, nobody was willing to
talk to the press.

After this case has come to light, unmarried women in India
would think twice before tying the knot. This incident would
compel one to verify the fact whether the groom has AIDS or not
well before getting married. It is indeed sad to note that the
same took place in a progressive southern Indian state like
Andhra Pradesh. This exclusive by Zee News has thrown more
light in this direction.

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