**********************************************************
SAATHII Electronic Newsletter
HIV NEWS FROM INDIA

Source: IndiaENews.com, NewsTrack India, Deccan Herald, Livemint.com,
The Hindu, The Economic Times, Thaindian News and New Indian
Express.

Posted on: 02/04/2008

COMPILED BY: Jacob Boopalan, 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. Health ministry denies World Bank charges of fraud
IndiaENews.com, March 11, 2008.
http://www.indiaenews.com/health/20080311/103543.htm

2. Four Orissa districts risks high prevalence of HIV/AIDS
NewsTrack India, March 12, 2008.
http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/2715

3. AIDS spectre over Central Jail
Deccan Herald, March 13, 2008.
http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Mar132008/scroll2008031357154.asp?section=updatenews

4. World Bank sticks to corruption charges ahead of key meeting
Livemint.com, March 13, 2008.
http://www.livemint.com/2008/03/13010108/World-Bank-sticks-to-corruptio.html

5. Parliamentary committee seeks validation of NACO's AIDS figures
The Hindu, March 14, 2008.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/14/stories/2008031455921400.htm

6. NACO stops funding for 438 NGOs for poor anti-AIDS performance
The Economic Times, March 14, 2008.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/NACO_stops_funding_for_438_NGOs_for_poor_anti-AIDS_performance_/articleshow/2866993.cms

7. Patent on AIDS drugs could hike costs: Govt
The Economic Times, March 14, 2008.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News_by_Industry/Patent_on_AIDS_drugs_could_hike_costs_Govt_/articleshow/2866171.cms

8. Failure in Europe, but India continues AIDS vaccine trial
Thaindian News, March 14, 2008.
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/health/failure-in-europe-but-india-continues-aids-vaccine-trial_10027512.html

9. Red Ribbon Express to touch right zones
New Indian Express, March 15, 2008.
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEQ20080315003958&Page=Q&Title=ORISSA&Topic=0

10. A woman's extraordinary zeal to fight AIDS
Thaindian.com, March 16, 2008.
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/health/a-womans-extraordinary-zeal-to-fight-aids_10027862.html

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

1. Health ministry denies World Bank charges of fraud
IndiaENews.com, March 11, 2008.
http://www.indiaenews.com/health/20080311/103543.htm

Denying charges of fraud and corruption the World Bank levelled
in its review of health projects in India, the government Tuesday
said it could cause incalculable damage to the credibility of
the country's most successful disease control programmes in TB,
malaria and HIV/AIDS.

In its 64-page response to the World Bank, the health ministry
said the bank's Detailed Implementation Review report erroneously
created an impression that the health sector delivery system in
India is beset with fraud and corruption.

The World Bank detected fraud and corruption in five health
projects worth $568 million.

The report was compiled after experts studied 852 tenders given
by the central government and 14,000 tenders allotted by the
states. The report was submitted to the ministry in January.

A Detailed Implementation Review launched by the World Bank in
2006 and supported by the Government of India found serious
incidents of fraud and corruption in five health projects.
The projects began implementation between 1997 and 2003, financed
by the government of India, the World Bank and other donors.

Cases of fraud and corruption in projects relating to eradication
of tuberculosis, malaria and HIV/AIDS control were detected in
the review.

Speaking to IANS, Health Secretary Naresh Dayal said, 'By erroneously
creating an impression that the health sector delivery system
in India is beset with fraud and corruption, the DIR has done
incalculable damage to the credibility of successful disease
control programmes.

In its response, the ministry cited a number of 'so-called wrong
doings'.

Giving a point-by-point rebuttal to some of the findings, the
ministry -- whose answers have been published in the Wall Street
Journal Monday - said its AIDS programme has been appreciated
by the world.

'Our programme is internationally recognised and even the World
Bank has called it the most successful programmes in the world.
This (DIR) could have long-term adverse impact on the implementation
of these programmes. This damage would be far greater than what
was sought to be fixed by the DIR,' the government response said.

Dayal said people taking treatment for HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis
would find it difficult to believe the government after such
a report. 'It is extremely necessary to maintain the credibility
of these health programmes.'

'This report worries us as we are providing long-term treatments,'
he added.

Dayal said the ministry has already ordered Central Bureau of
Investigations (CBI) enquiry into wrongdoings in some cases.

Citing some of the wrong judgements, Dayal said the DIR has blamed
the ministry for collusion of two companies wanting to bid for
tuberculosis medicines.

'Before they could make a bid, we cancelled their registration
so there was no question that they were able to procure the TB
drugs. We took prompt action. They (World Bank) should have
appreciated our work,' he added.

'Despite our request, the DIR did not provide any evidence
to substantiate allegations of bribery or selection bias. They
did not take us into confidence. They did not consult us when
they were compiling their report,' Dayal said.

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

2. Four Orissa districts risks high prevalence of HIV/AIDS
NewsTrack India, March 12, 2008.
http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/2715

While presenting the HIV Sentinel Surveillance data in Rajya Sabha,
the Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss
named four districts of Orissa: Bolangir, Bhadrak, Ganjam and
Anugul under category 'A' with high prevalence of HIV infected
population.

As per the category 'A', districts having HIV occurrence in more
than one percent among Antenatal women of general population
and hence it indicates the vulnerability among women and any
further increase in prevalence rate would rise the number of
adults living with HIV/AIDS.

The minister too pointed out some probable reasons for spread
of HIV virus in those districts citing as large scale migration
as these are the centre of Industrial development and hub of
highway network. Due to unemployment, people from coastal districts
like Ganjam and Bhadrak migrate to others parts of the country
like Surat & Gandhi Nagar in Gujarat and Mumbai in Maharastra
where HIV cases are more.

Transport carrier drivers termed as high-risk group as it increases
the susceptibility of these districts with spread of HIV/AIDS
and other sexually transmitted diseases.

The minister however, didn't assert any fact that the spread of
HIV in these districts links to foreign tourists and infiltrators
from Bangladesh.

The government had launched the National AIDS Control Programme
(NACO) Phase III in association with State AIDS Control Societies
but the recent rise in occurrence rate in Orissa indicates that
preventative care and treatment support is not enough and the
administration needs to have special focus on such issues.

During the financial year 2007-08, Rs 15.06 crore was allocated
to the Orissa government to spread HIV awareness programmes in
rural areas considering the fact of less awareness among rural
people.

NACO has been doing regular campaigns through mass media to make
people aware of the HIV/AIDS and to promote safe sexual behaviour.
Efforts have also been made to focus on high-risk zones, persons
including migrants, truck drivers, and female sex workers while
encouraging them to use condoms.

Hence, both state and central governments have to be more specific
in developing strategy, while providing knowledge on HIV/AIDS
treatment, management reaching wide and diverse groups section
in both rural communities and towns.

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

3. AIDS spectre over Central Jail
Deccan Herald, March 13, 2008.
http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Mar132008/scroll2008031357154.asp?section=updatenews

Eighteen prisoners are said to have died of the epidemic during
2006-07. If the data furnished by the jail authorities is to be
believed, 87 more inmates carry the virus...

Is there a bomb ticking inside the Central Jail at Parappana
Agrahara here?

Apparently yes, as scores of inmates of the high-security jail
have been diagnosed as people living with HIV/AIDS.

Eighteen prisoners are said to have died of the epidemic during
2006-07. If the data furnished by the jail authorities is to be
believed, 87 more inmates carry the virus. These include 75
undertrials and 12 convicts.

Additional Director General of Prisons S T Ramesh is not alarmed.
"In the last eight months we conducted HIV tests on nearly 2,000
inmates and less than 4 per cent tested positive. The 3-4 per
cent figure is equivalent to the national average."

The Central Jail faces the problem of over-crowding like any
other gaol in India. Against an authorised strength of 2,100,
it houses 4,800.

Unnatural sex among prisoners is also a pheno-menon, which
S T Ramesh doesn't deny. "Homosex-uality is certainly a risk
element," he said. Yet, he claimed the virus isn't sp-reading
inside but most in-fected would have contract-ed it before
landing in jail.

Campaign
With a view to checking the spread of HIV/AIDS inside the jail,
the authorities are focusing more on education and training,
besides conducting regular check-ups, the ADGP added.

In this regard, a group consisting of the Karnataka State AIDS
Prevention Society, Constell of Future, Bowring Hospital, Karnataka
Network of Positive People and KIMS has been formed, Ramesh said.

Counselling
He said publicity material about HIV/AIDS are made available to
the inmates. The authorities have also opened a Voluntary
Counselling and Testing Centre (VCTC) inside the jail, Ramesh 
added.

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

4. World Bank sticks to corruption charges ahead of key meeting
Livemint.com, March 13, 2008.
http://www.livemint.com/2008/03/13010108/World-Bank-sticks-to-corruptio.html

India's ministry of health and family welfare wants the Bank
to admit that its detailed implementation review of the Indian
projects had inaccuracies

Aday before the World Bank's board of executive directors meets
in Washington, DC, to review its findings of corruption in five
health projects, India is insisting the global aid agency
acknowledge that a recent detailed report pointing to fraud
and corruption is "one-sided", "unfair" and full of "wrong findings".

Claiming that the report had done "irreparable damage" to the
credibility of India's health programmes, potentially making
future fund-raising and implementation difficult, the ministry
of health and family welfare wants the World Bank to admit that
its detailed implementation review, or DIR, of the Indian projects,
which it funded to the tune of some $570 million, or more than
Rs2,300 crore at today's rates, had inaccuracies.

"We are hoping for a balanced outcome. We want the bank board
to recognize that the report is one-sided (and)unfair; and make
a public statement saying these were wrong findings," Naresh
Dayal, secretary of the health ministry, told Mint in an interview.

Dayal had said such reports discredit national programmes, such
as those on tuberculosis, which is lauded as one among successful
disease-control initiatives in the world with a cure rate of 85%
and detection rate of 70%.

Responding to the stinging criticism from India, which is one
of its largest borrowers, the World Bank agreed late on Wednesday
that including New Delhi's views in the DIR would have made the
review more robust.

But the bank stuck to its core point of corruption in Indian
health projects. "...even if all of the GoI (government of India)
comments were accepted, there are still serious indicators of
both fraud and corruption in the health sector in India, which
both parties agree need to be addressed,"it said.

"The bank recognizes that the DIR report would have been a stronger
document if GoI had been given an opportunity to provide its
comments on the report before it was issued," a spokesman for
the bank said in an email response to Mint queries. "The bank
also recognizes that the DIR could have better recognized the
positive development impacts that these projects have had, and
the actions that GoI has already taken over the last few years
to address the risks identified in the DIR."

The bank's board is expected to discuss the DIR report, the
Indian response and a proposed "joint action plan" to tighten
systems and processes in future in Thursday's meeting, postponed
from Tuesday.

The DIR had found "significant indicators of fraud and corruption
in all five" projects spanning control of malaria, AIDS/HIV and
tuberculosis, a health project in Orissa, and a programme to
improve the quality and safety of food and drugs.

The Indian government had agreed to a joint action plan with
the World Bank early this year, which will include measures to
increase transparency through Web publication of all procurement
processes, bidding and contract awards, social audits, tighter
scrutiny of non-government organizations and on procurement
controls to catch collusive bidding. Three projects in Chhattisgarh
and Karnataka have been given to Central Bureau of Investigation.

Dayal doesn't see the action plan as a contradiction to India's
stance on the report. "These are systemic improvements, some of
which were introduced before the DIR and some after. We have
an allocation of Rs16,000 crore for the health sector and not
more than 10% comes through external funding. We are doing all
this due diligence for the 90% of the money we pay out of our
pocket," he said.

The World Bank report, meanwhile, has made some international
donors jittery. Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and
Malaria is planning to review its programmes in India, where it
has given out 13 grants worth $491 million and is awaiting the
detailed study of the World Bank for further direction, said
Nicolas Demey, communications officer with the Geneva-based Fund.

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

5. Parliamentary committee seeks validation of NACO's AIDS figures
The Hindu, March 14, 2008.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/14/stories/2008031455921400.htm

Underestimates can result in the problem being ignored, says
PAC report

Inflated figures may take resources away from other health
programmes

Hopes ICTCs will act as a single window service to cater to all
clients

NEW DELHI: Raising doubts over the reliability of the new data
on HIV/AIDS prevalence in India released by the National AIDS
Control Organisation (NACO), a Parliamentary panel has sought
validation of these figures.

The Public Accounts Committee in its 63rd report, tabled in
Parliament on Thursday, has said its concern to have Sentinel
Surveillance Network based on a systematic and scientific approach
had not been adequately addressed by the Union Health and Family
Welfare Ministry. The apprehension of the committee has increased,
especially in the light of the recent slashing of official
estimates of HIV/AIDS prevalence in India.

As per the official figures, the national adult prevalence of
HIV/AIDS in India is approximately 0.36 per cent, amounting to
between 2 and 3.1 million people or an average of 2.5 million
people. This clearly indicated that the figure has almost come
down to 50 per cent of the 2004 figure of 5.14 million. However,
the committee feels that the reliability of this data needs to
be validated as inflated figures can be used to take resources
and energy away from equally important health programmes and
at the same time, underestimates can result in the problem being
ignored, the report has said.

Therefore, it is necessary to identify an appropriate agency
or an authority and to have a realistic data with periodic
revision which is acceptable to all International Health
Organisations such as Global AIDS Programme, Global Health Council,
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies,
UNAIDS, and the World Health Organisation.

As regards setting up of integrated counselling and testing
centres (ICTCs), the panel hoped that these would function as
a single window service to cater to the requirements of all the
needy clients.

It also asked the Ministry to provide state-of-the-art equipment
and adequate number of qualified technical manpower so that
these Centres could provide quality services.

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

6. NACO stops funding for 438 NGOs for poor anti-AIDS performance
The Economic Times, March 14, 2008.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/NACO_stops_funding_for_438_NGOs_for_poor_anti-AIDS_performance_/articleshow/2866993.cms

NEW DELHI: National AIDS Control Organisation has discontinued
funding for as many as 438 NGOs after their performance in AIDS
prevention programme was not found to be satisfactory.

In all, 1,220 NGOs were involved in programmes targeting high
risk groups like sex workers and drug users, of which the
association with 262 was discontinued, Union Health Minister
A Ramadoss told Rajya Sabha in a written reply on Friday.

Subsequently, he said, an independent evaluation of the remaining
958 NGOs was conducted between April and June, 2007.

Of these, the performance of 176 NGOs was found to be unsatisfactory
and the funding to these organisations was discontinued.

The functioning of 122 community care centres was also assessed
and 48 of these were found to be unsatisfactory, Ramadoss said.

He added these NGOs did not have adequate infrastructure and
trained manpower as per requirements.

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

7. Patent on AIDS drugs could hike costs: Govt
The Economic Times, March 14, 2008.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News_by_Industry/Patent_on_AIDS_drugs_could_hike_costs_Govt_/articleshow/2866171.cms

NEW DELHI: Government on Friday said granting of patents to
HIV/AIDS drugs might increase cost of the medicines and create
problems for patients, although the country's Patent Act has
safeguards to such situations.

In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, Union Minister
of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers B K Handique said: "National
AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) has informed that in case patents
are granted on drugs used to treat AIDS and related diseases,
the cost of drugs might increase significantly and this may create
problems for HIV patients in the country."

Handique, however, added the Indian Patent Act has certain
safeguards to handle such situations.

"Besides this, NACO procures anti-retroviral (ARVs) drugs in bulk
through international competitive bidding from WHO pre-qualified
companies," he said, adding the bulk purchases helped in getting
quality drugs at competitive costs.

In addition, NACO has also entered into agreement with UNITAID
(International drug purchase facility) for free supply of AVR
drugs for children and second line ARV drugs, the minister said,
adding all the drugs were given free to the patients.

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

8. Failure in Europe, but India continues AIDS vaccine trial
Thaindian News, March 14, 2008.
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/health/failure-in-europe-but-india-continues-aids-vaccine-trial_10027512.html

New Delhi: India decided to continue the AIDS vaccine trial to
find its impact on its population which is ethnically different
from Europe, where the results proved less encouraging, parliament
was informed Friday. Minister of State for Health and Family
Welfare Panabaka Lakshmi said that the phase 1 vaccine trial
of Adeno-associated virus (AAV) was initiated at National AIDS
Research Institute (NARI) in Pune on Feb 2005.

Thirty volunteers participated in the trial and all the trial
participants were followed up for one year.

After the first phase, the second round of the trial was started
after the results from the Phase 1 trials were received from
Belgium and Germany. The data from Belgium and Germany showed
that vaccine was safe and well tolerated.

However, no significant immune response was reported.

"These results were reviewed by the national scientific and
ethics committees and it was decided that although the results
from the two countries showed that the vaccine is only weekly
immunogenic, different results could be expected from Indian
populations due to ethnic differences," she said.

Hence the trial in Pune was allowed to continue, she added.

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

9. Red Ribbon Express to touch right zones
New Indian Express, March 15, 2008.
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEQ20080315003958&Page=Q&Title=ORISSA&Topic=0

BHUBANESWAR: Looks like National AIDS Control Organisation
(NACO)'s Red Ribbon Express, a seven- coach train travelling
9,000 km across India to spread awareness about the killer disease,
had taken to a 'wrong route' in Orissa but hectic lobbying by
State AIDS Control Society has put it back on the track.

The train which was flagged off from Delhi on December 1, 2007
marking the World AIDS Day had to change its route after the
OSACS sought for one.

As part of NACO's plans to reach out to 180 districts of the
country in an attempt to mount the awareness campaign about
HIV/AIDS and safe behavioural practices, Red Ribbon Express is
to arrive in the State on April 1.

However, the original plan was to touch seven stations Brajameda,
Rourkela, Bamra, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Puri and Titlagarh.
The choice of the stations, though, did not go down well with
the state body.

"What would have been the coverage of the campaign if the train
parked at some of the little known stations like Brajameda and
Bamra where the target population is very low. That's why, we
sought a change in the route," said sources in the OSACS.

As per Red Ribbon Express programme, there would be cycle and
bus caravans comprising performers who would fan out for social
mobilisation in a radius of 76 km.

But the original plan apparently did not provide much scope.
Moreover, the most affected district - Ganjam - was not in the
coverage area.

This prompted OSACS to request the Railway Board for a change
in the route and that was finally effected. The updated route,
as per the plan, would be Balasore, Bhadrak, Mancheswar, Berhampur,
Angul, Sambalpur and Balangir.

The train will arrive at Balasore on April 1 where it would
remain parked for a day before proceeding to Bhadrak for the
next halt.

At Mancheswar, it would be stationed from April 3 to April 6
and then move to Berhampur for another three days. At Angul,
Sambalpur and Balangir, Red Ribbon Express would make halts for
one, two and four days respectively.

The special project of NACO plans to cover 43200 villages in
180 districts of India bringing under its umbrella groups such
as youth, women, SHGs, adolescents from schools and colleges as
well as panchayati raj institution members.

The coaches will have different kind of exhibition and education
materials besides auditorium-cum-conference and counselling as
well as medical services.

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

10. A woman's extraordinary zeal to fight AIDS
Thaindian.com, March 16, 2008.
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/health/a-womans-extraordinary-zeal-to-fight-aids_10027862.html

Bochha (Bihar), March 16 (IANS) Ragini Devi, a Bihar villager,
was once selected as an "Asadharan Mahila", or extraordinary woman,
for helping empower women. Rightly so, since she seems to have
a fire in her belly as she takes on the task of spreading awareness
about AIDS. Hailing from Balthi Rasoolpur village in Muzaffarpur
district, about 70 km from Patna, she was chosen for the honour
in 2006 for her pathbreaking move to take up vegetable cultivation
and inspire hundreds of women to take it up as a means of livelihood.

The New Delhi-based Grassroots magazine called Ragini, who comes
from a social and economically marginalized background, "India's
first Asadharan Mahila".

She also hit the headlines two years ago when she inaugurated
an international woman's conference along with the then Indian
president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in New Delhi. It was a rare opportunity
for a woman from her background.

But not ready to sit on past laurels, she has begun a sustained
effort to spread awareness about HIV/AIDS in the rural hinterland
of Bihar. Being a counsellor, Devi is busy spreading awareness
about HIV/AIDS in villages.

"I am doing it as voluntary work to make a difference" she said.

"Till date the response is more than expected. People, mostly
village women, show keen interest in learning about AIDS and
its prevention measures. But the fact remains that there are
deep-rooted myths and stigma attached to the disease," she said.

According to official statistics, 12,000 people among Bihar's
over 83 million population are infected with the virus, but AIDS
campaigners claim these figures are under-reported. Unofficial
figures put the HIV/AIDS population of Bihar at 40,000. They are
among India's 2.5 million people who suffer from the disease.

Ragini Devi recalled that initially women were reluctant to discuss
and talk about HIV/AIDS due to widespread misinformation related
to the disease.

"It took a few days to convince and motivate them to gather in
front of my thatched house to join the campaign against HIV/AIDS,"
she said.

She admitted that it was not an easy task. "I began my campaign
against HIV/AIDS last year with the help of hand-written placards
and short lectures in the local Hindi dialect," Ragini Devi said.

She decided to create awareness about prevention measures to
minimize the chance of HIV/AIDS and to fight against misconception.

Ragini Devi's initiative to campaign against HIV/AIDS is seen
here as a right step in rural Bihar.

Health officials associated with the Bihar State AIDS Control
Society said that in rural Bihar, migrant workers are considered
the main carrier of HIV/AIDS virus because they got infected
during their stay outside to earn a livelihood.

During her previous effort for women's empowerment through vegetable
cultivation, she had inspired dozens to earn their livelihood
through her initiative.

Ragini Devi's move to take up vegetable cultivation made her
a household name in Bochhan block.

"Thanks to her, vegetables which were cultivated on a small
scale a few years ago, are now sent to different places across
India and exported too," villagers said.

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

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