1. AIDS affected widow ostracised with kids in UP village (3) (Click here for content list)

PRATAPGARH (UTTAR PRADESH): Wide scale misinformation about HIV and AIDS is making life impossible for victims in an Uttar Pradesh village. A 25-year-old woman along with her three children here has been turned an outcast by her in-laws for being affected with AIDS that she contacted from her husband. Her in-laws have ostracized the mother and her kids after her taxi driver husband died. He used to work in Mumbai. "My in-laws told me to leave the home. I pleaded and asked how I could leave the home just like that. They told me that till the time my husband survived you were allowed to stay but now since he is no more, it is better if I leave their place as well," said Badrunnisha, the widow and AIDS affected. Although the government has launched a nation-wide programme to educate the people about the disease, the stigma is still widely prevalent. Social workers from a voluntary forum have taken up her cause to help Badrunnisha to regain her rightful place in the society. "The way Badrunnisha has been forced out of her husband's home is absolutely unfair. She got this (disease) from her husband. They can't blame her for this. She should get all her due rights and be allowed to stay with her family again," said Pooja Yadav, a social worker in Pratapgarh District. District health officials call the unfortunate development as the result of social stigma. "We have told our (health) workers to explain and enlighten the villagers about the disease, and that it can happen to anybody, anywhere and anytime. And we are following up with the development," said Dr. Ram Gopal Verma, Chief Medical Officer, Pratapgarh. India has roughly 2.5 million people infected with HIV, less than half the number of cases that previous studies estimated. An earlier U.N. study had estimated 5.7 million HIV cases, which would have been the highest total in the world. But as per the latest available data, India, which has a population of 1.1 billion, has fewer HIV cases than South Africa and Nigeria.  (Times of India 12/1/08)

2. An expedition to help AIDS victims (3)  (Click here for content list)

PUDUCHERRY: “Our organisation has decided to embark on this month-long cycle expedition from Puducherry to New Delhi to create public awareness of AIDS, as part of our sustained efforts to achieve something big through our service to society”— thus avers president of Mahatma Gandhi Makkal Pani Iyakkam, C. Imayavan. Shortly before launching the tour, Mr. Imayavan said four of its members, K.P. Ilango, E. Ezhilan, S. Selvan and K. Balamurugan, would be covering several villages and towns along the 2,800-km journey through Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh before reaching New Delhi. The Ariyankuppam-based organisation was founded a couple of years ago to serve the people in all possible ways, he said adding that its 30-odd members had been helping the commune panchayat in clearing garbage in the area. Most of its members were construction workers, farmhands and auto-rickshaw drivers, he said. As HIV/AIDS had been posing immense medical and social problems, the Iyakkam also wanted to help the administration in creating public awareness in different parts of the country, Mr. Imayavan said. The inclement weather prevailing in the northern States had not dampened the spirits of the youth to undertake the mission. “We know it is a tough challenge. But the four volunteers are equipped with woollen blankets and medicine to beat the biting cold,” he said. Each of the four bicycles was fitted with a signboard which screamed: “Destroy AIDS, help AIDS patients!” The volunteers would have a break after covering every 100 km along the route. They would stay at the nearest police station during nights before commencing their ‘yatra’ the next day, Mr. Imayavan said. (The Hindu 13/1/08)

3. AIDS programme infected: ‘Bribes for contracts, dubious NGOs, political strings’ (3)

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NEW DELHI, JANUARY 14: Salaries to fictitious people, unqualified NGOs pulling strings, government officials getting cuts to award contracts, politician acting as middleman in bribery — the World Bank’s review of the second phase of the National Aids Control Programme is a sweeping indictment of the manner in which the programme was run. At the national level, the programme is administered by National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) while its implementation at the state level is decentralized to State AIDS Control Societies (SACS). The programme was meant to reduce HIV rates and $72.5 million was allocated to activities like workshops and targeted interventions. Of this, 78% was carried out by NGOs who were called the “engines of the entire programme.” The review studied 76 of the 103 NGOs. “I am not sure if the situation is as bleak as it is made out in the report. However, I will look at all findings with an open mind and start an internal inquiry. The World Bank has been involved in every step and I am surprised they have found so much fraud,” said Sujatha Rao, director, NACO, when contacted by The Indian Express. The key findings of the Bank’s review of the AIDS programme: • State AIDS Control Society (SACS) officials demanded and received bribes in exchange for awarding contracts and disbursing funds. Witnesses said officials required bribes of 10 to 15 per cent of the grant amount before they reimbursed NGOs for project expenditure. • In Chhattisgarh, the Bank interviewed a prominent local politician — not named — who claimed he had been approached by several NGOs to be a middleman to facilitate bribe payments. During the interview, the politician called the director of one of the NGOs and let the DIR team listen in on the conversation. The NGO head states that he paid 25 per cent bribe to the SACS official. • An NGO representative in Karnataka said officials would make site visits to NGOs applying for contracts. If the NGO did not comply with NACO guidelines, officials would tell the NGO that they would “arrange compliance” if the NGO was willing to pay between 25 to 30 per cent of the value of the contract. • In Mumbai, bribes were requested and paid through the use of middlemen who approached the NGOs and offered to prepare and gain approval of grant proposals in exchange for 10 to 20 per cent of the value of the grant. • SACS awarded contracts to non-existent NGOs, who performed no services or had no experience in HIV prevention. This despite NACO guidelines that NGOs should have an established track record in community development. • One witness who conducted training programme for NGOs in Mumbai informed the review team that the staff of at least three NGOs that received funding were unable to describe or discuss anything regarding their projects during training sessions. In another cases, MSACS awarded several grants to an NGO when its work was planting trees and distribution of school uniform. • In Maharashtra, when the staff visited the supposed address of an NGO, it found a large residence instead. • Eight NGOs in Chhattisgarh that received about Rs 170,000 in funding from SACS appeared to be selected via political connections. • Similarly in Karnataka, the Bank review found that an NGO with no experience in HIV/AIDS prevention, that was not legally registered and had no financial management structure, was selected in the state because of the director’s political connections. • NGOs were required to submit documentation such as utilisation certificates. Instead, the review found incomplete and fraudulent reporting and accounting by NGOs to SACS offices. • There are several examples of fraud — ranging from claims for an office that was non-existent, payment of salaries to fictitious people and claims to possess a mobile clinic when none was in place. • In Karnataka, all accounts were incomplete or missing. In Chhattisgarh, the same individual served as training coordinator, finance officer and NGO advisor for the programme. (Indian Express 15/1/08)

4. Wrongly diagnosed with HIV, woman denied treatment in Govt hospital (3)

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Kendrapara: Belying tall claims of the Health Department and the Orissa State AIDS Control Society in creating awareness among the masses about AIDS, a pregnant woman was denied treatment at the Jagatsinghpur headquarters Hospital when she was wrongly diagnosed with the disease. The most outrageous attitude was that of doctors and nurses, who are supposed to be the key persons to create awareness amongst masses, when they turned their backs on the woman after learning her HIV status. According to the sources, a pregnant woman Arati Pani (name changed), a resident of Seula village was admitted to the Jagatsinghpur Headquarters Hospital on Sunday. As the woman did not have delivery pain the concerned doctor allegedly asked her husband to conduct blood test in the pathology lab of a private clinic instead of VCCTC centre at the hospital to ascertain her HIV status. But when it was ascertained by the test report she was HIV positive the doctor and the nurses denied treatment when labour pain started. Neither doctors nor nurses came to provide her treatment. Moreover, she was even deprived of a bed in the hospital.The doctor allegedly asked her husband to take her to SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack, alleged the woman.  The woman gave birth to a girl on veranda of the hospital. Later, the nurse and doctors of the hospital allegedly burnt her clothes after delivery of the baby and directed not to breast feed the newborn, alleged the woman. When the husband of the woman suspected that the blood report of his wife might have been diagnosis wrongly, he once against took her for tests in the District Headquarters Hospital where she was found HIV negative. (Pioneer 16/1/08)

5. Women more susceptible to HIV, says study (3)  (Click here for content list)

Pune, January 21: Recent studies show that women are susceptible to HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases in multiple ways. They are more likely to have been coerced into early sexual activity, face more sexual violence and are likely to have a greater number of sexual partners, cautions Pratima Murthy, Professor of Psychiatry and Chief of De-addiction Centre at National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore. Women have a greater likelihood of selling sex for money or drugs and report significant reproductive health problems, says Murthy, who will present a paper on ‘Women and Substance Abuse’ at an International Conference on Opportunistic Pathogens in AIDS (ICOPA), to be held from January 27 to 29 at Delhi. Women using drugs often have partners who use drugs and their risky behaviour affects the women, Murthy adds. Similarly, non substance using women who have substance using partners are also vulnerable and form a bridge population for the spread of HIV/AIDS. Awareness on HIV risk is inadequate, accessibility to services is limited and this population is greatly undeserved. While traditional use of drug continues, use of synthetic and semi-synthetic drugs has overtaken them. According to the national household survey, which evaluated 40,697 men between 12 and 60 years of age, prevalence of current substance use was as follows: tobacco 55.8 per cent, alcohol 21.4 per cent, opiates 0.7 per cent, sedative/hypnotics 0.1 per cent. A recent Rapid Assessment Survey of Drug Abuse evaluated 4,648 drug users across 14 cities in India. Women drug users in this study, numbering 371, constituted 8 per cent of the drug users studied. Average age of respondents was between 26 and 31 years. Age of initiation of substance use was between 16 and 22 years. A majority of the women interviewed (60-75 per cent) were single and had drug using friends. Alcohol was the commonest drug of initiation, in 60 to 90 per cent of respondents, followed by cannabis, in more than half. In Mumbai, nearly half the users had initiated drug use with heroin. In Hyderabad, more than one-third of respondents reported injecting drug use (IDU). Age at first sexual experience was between 18 and 20 years of age. (Indian Express 22/1/08)

6. Proposal to make HIV testing compulsory before marriage (3)  (Click here for content list)

MUMBAI: A committee of legislators has proposed that testing for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) be made compulsory before marriage, and recommended that Maharashtra pass the required law. This was decided at a high-level meeting on Wednesday, presided over by Public Health Minister Vimal Mundada. She said such a move would create awareness and also control the spread of HIV. Dr. Mundada said the government would go to the people with the proposal. No one would be victimised as a result of the compulsory testing. The committee, formed during the previous Assembly session, expressed the view that the State should take the lead in this matter. (The Hindu 1/2/08)

7. 54 out of 55 children born of HIV+ mothers healthy (3)  (Click here for content list)

New Delhi The Gynaecology department of AIIMS has delivered 55 children from HIV positive women since August 2003, the maximum number in all Government hospitals across the country. Of these, 54 children are healthy and free from any HIV transmission. One of them died due to early infection. According to department head Dr Suneeta Mittal, 50 children were delivered through caesarean operations -- as it reduces the chances of transmission by one-third and five were born through normal delivery. The programme called 'Prevention of Parent to Child Transmission' was started at the Institute in August 2003 with help from National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO). "We counselled 8,552 pregnant women from August 2003 till December 31, 2007 for HIV tests. Out of this, 5,773 women were tested for HIV and 72 were found to be HIV positive. We told them in early pregnancy to decide on whether to abort or give birth to the child. While 17 pregnant women went for abortion, 55 of them still wanted to give birth to the child. So we operated on them and gave required drugs," said Mittal. The treatment included doses of Nevarapin to the mother during delivery, followed by a single dose to the infant within 72 hours of birth. Also, 50 children were delivered through caesarean section so as to reduce transmission and five through normal delivery. "Except for one child who died within hours of birth as he was infected before the mother reached us, all children are safe and have tested negative for HIV," she said. Mittal said after birth these children undergo periodical tests till 18 months for infection. "A total of 11 children have tested negative in the final tests. Nine children in their sixth month and 16 in their sixth week have also tested negative for HIV and other infection. The rest are under inspection," she added. Mittal said that this is a big achievement of the Institute and the number of children born without infection from HIV positive women is the maximum in all Government hospital across the country. "Had these preventive action not been taken, almost 30 per cent children would have died after birth due to HIV transmission," she said. According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), every year, more than 700,000 children become HIV-positive via transmission from their parents across the world. Some 15-20 per cent are infected during pregnancy, 50 per cent during delivery and 33 per cent through breastfeeding. (Pioneer 4/2/08)

8. Breastfeeding made safer for infants of HIV-infected mothers (3)  (Click here for content list)

Pune, February 5: For the first time, researchers from Pune and the US have evidence showing that transmission of HIV from mother to infant through breast milk can be prevented with the drug, nevirapine. This is the same drug that helps prevent babies from getting the AIDS virus at birth. The researchers have claimed that an extended course of the antiretroviral drug, nevirapine (NVP), helps the breastfeeding babies of HIV-infected mothers to remain HIV-negative and live longer. Estimates from the United Nations and the World Health Organization note that 150,000 infants acquire HIV infection through breastfeeding each year. Breastfeeding remains a leading route of HIV transmission in the developing world and the risk of acquiring HIV through breastfeeding is believed to be most during the earliest months of life. Without treatment, 15-30 per cent of babies born to HIV positive women become infected with HIV during pregnancy and delivery. Another 5-20 per cent become infected through breastfeeding. This is the first multinational clinical trial to show that pre-exposure antiretroviral prophylaxis can prevent mucosal transmission of HIV. The study is a feather in the cap for scientists from the B J Medical College in Pune, said Dr J Sastry, project coordinator. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases-sponsored clinical trials — conducted in Pune and known as six week extended nevirapine (SWEN) studies — had sought to determine whether giving an extended daily regimen of nevirapine to breastfeeding babies of HIV-infected mothers would reduce the rates of HIV acquisition and death in these infants, as against the standard of care which is single dose NVP to mothers at labour and single dose to infants within 72 hours at birth, said Sastry. A course of NVP given daily to breastfeeding infants from days 8 to 42 cut the rate of HIV transmission via breastfeeding by almost half at six weeks, when compared with a single dose of NVP given to infants at birth — which is the current National AIDS Control Organisation policy of standard of care. The main aim of the study was to determine the rate of HIV transmission at six months. Investigators from B J Medical College, Johns Hopkins University, National AIDS Research Institute, Pune, and an international team of researchers enrolled 2,000 mother-infant pairs in three separate studies. These studies began in Ethiopia in 2001, in Pune in 2002, and Uganda in 2004. • In a significant development, principal investigator of the project Dr M A Phadke, who is now the Vice Chancellor of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences at Nashik, has said that she was unhappy with the way the study was being projected and that the drug could not bring about statistically significant change in the infants at the end of six months. “Clearly, the main end point of the study was six months and not six weeks. The project that commenced in 2002 and ended in 2007 is a crucial one,” said Phadke. The main conclusion of the study was daily NVP from 8 to 42 days of life in breastfed infants of HIV positive mothers produced a significant change at six weeks, but not at the primary end point of six months which is the main end point of the study. It did not produce statistically significant reduction in HIV transmission when compared with the single dose of nevirapine at the primary end point of six months. At six weeks of age, the drug produced statistically significant risk of HIV transmission by nearly half. Phadke added that the drug given as a single dose for six weeks produced 38 per cent side effects of a severe nature. Prof R C Bollinger from Johns Hopkins University in the US was also the principal investigator for the project. (Indian Express 6/2/08)

9. New-born child of HIV-hit woman adopted (3)  (Click here for content list)

BERHAMPUR: There are people in rural areas who are ready to fight social stigma related to AIDS and HIV. A couple from Patikata village of Gosani block in Gajapati district adopted the new born girl child of a mentally retarded HIV positive woman. Thanks to the timely intervention of doctors of the Paralakhemundi district hospital and administration of Neverapin to the pregnant woman, the child was born without any infection of HIV. Administration of Neverapin had saved the child from getting infected by HIV in the womb. The family members of this mentally retarded girl of Patikara village had discarded her. And she had fallen prey to a gang rape. The villagers of Patikata were providing her food for sustenance. When they found that she had become pregnant, with the help of local health workers she was brought to the Paralakhemundi hospital, where she was diagnosed to be HIV positive. Despite attempts by the district administration, the family members of the girl did not show any interest in her or the child in her womb. But a childless couple of the village, G.Lacheya and his wife G.Rajulamma, who were among the few behind the sustenance of the girl at the village came forward to adopt the new born child disregarding the social stigma attached. They officially adopted the child and took her with them. But the mother of the child is yet to be accepted by her family. She is still roaming around after getting discharged from the hospital. The district administration has deputed a health worker to keep watch on her. Efforts are on to send her to a mental asylum with the help of district administration, said social worker, Pradip Nayak. (The Hindu 7/2/08)

10. Monthly pension for HIV-positive persons (3)  (Click here for content list)

Berhampur (Orissa): In a significant move, the Orissa government has decided to provide a monthly pension to HIV positive persons under the State-sponsored ‘Madhu Babu Pension Yojana’ from this month, official sources said. Orissa is perhaps the first State in the country to provide such benefits to HIV positive persons. Altogether 6,132 HIV positive persons in the State, irrespective of their age and earning conditions, will benefit under the scheme in the first phase. The maximum beneficiaries would be the Drom Ganjam district where the number of affected persons was also highest in the State. Under the scheme, every HIV-positive person detected will get Rs. 200 per month. The government has also decided to provide widow pension to the wife of a HIV-positive person after his death, he said. — PTI (The Hindu 7/2/08)

11. Wrong HIV diagnosis: Woman sues Orissa for Rs 10L (3)  (Click here for content list)

KENDRAPADA: A woman claim-ed a compensation of Rs 10 lakh from the Orissa government for being erroneously diagnosed HIV-positive when she was pregnant. She has also filed a case with the district consumer forum. Three months ago, doctors of Voluntary Confidential Counselling and Testing Centres of Cuttack and Jagatsinghpur informed Manjubala Das (25) of Odisio village in Jagatsinghpur district that she had contracted the deadly disease. Das, who was pregnant at that time, was denied admission to the district government hospital. However, she gave birth to a baby girl at the Balikuda community health centre on January 14. Later, doctors of microbiology department of MKCG Medical College and Hospital, Berhampur, informed her that she was not infected. In her petition, Das alleged that she and her family had to suffer mental agony because of the wrong diagnosis. After 30 days of birth of a child born to an HIV-infected woman, it is mandatory to test the blood of the child through DNA-PCR to know if the child was also infected or not. But, the doctors of Jagatasinghpur District Hospital committed gross negligence by not carrying out the test. Mortified at the prospect of living with an HIV patient, relatives and in-laws of Das refused any sort of assistance to her.  (Times of India 10/2/08)

12. Aware of HIV but few in rural areas go for tests (3)  (Click here for content list)

Pune, February 10: Even though India is among the nations having the highest number of AIDS cases in the world, very few women in its rural backyard go for an Elisa test during pregnancy to detect the deadly HIV virus. In fact, very few women are even aware of the existence of voluntary counselling and testing facilities, despite a Government policy to expand ante-natal HIV screening and prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV virus. Approximately 60 per cent of the country's HIV cases occur in rural areas, and married women of childbearing age are considered a highly vulnerable population, who generally acquire the virus primarily through their husbands' pre- and extramarital sexual behaviour. According to a study conducted jointly by Institute of Health Management, Pachod, Maharashtra and John Hopkins School of Medicine, USA, awareness among rural women about HIV testing centres is extremely low. The study was conducted among 60,000 individuals in Aurangabad district where at least one per cent of pregnant women have tested HIV positive in ante-natal clinic sentinnel surveillance sites. The nearest Government-sanctioned Voluntary Counselling Test Centre is located 50 kilometres away at the district hospital. Conducted between January and March 2006, around 400 pregnant women were questioned regarding HIV awareness, risk and history of antenatal HIV testing. While 87 per cent had heard of HIV virus, 84 per cent were aware of condoms while 72 per cent knew that consistent condom use is an effective way of preventing AIDS. Around 84 per cent knew that HIV can be sexually transmitted. However, despite this knowledge of HIV, only 6 per cent of women in the study could correctly name an HIV testing facility. Furthermore, only 8 per cent reported receiving HIV counselling during pregnancy, and only 3 per cent of women had an HIV test done. However, one positive thing was that women in the current study had much better knowledge of HIV than women in the one conducted in 2001. Over the past several years, community and government efforts have increased rural women's HIV awareness, says Dr A Dayalchand, Director of IHMP. Still, two significant barriers exist, namely, lack of discussion by antenatal care providers about HIV and lack of awareness of HIV testing services, including VCT. Few women could correctly name a HIV testing facility or reported awareness of VCT. Furthermore, only half of HIV test utilizers reported receiving associated counselling. (Indian Express 10/2/08)

13. HIV diagnosis: Woman sues State Govt for Rs 10 lakh (3)  (Click here for content list)

Kendrapara : A pregnant woman Manjubala Das alias Laxmi, wife of Prasanta Das of Odiso village in Jagatsinghpur who was wrongly diagnosed as HIV positive and denied admission in the Jagatsinghpur District Headquarters Hospital on January 14 has moved the District Consumer Redressal Forum and demanded compensation of Rs 10 lakh from the State Government. Das in her petition stated that she has suffered mental agony and faced a lot of humiliation and misbehaviour after the VCCTC centres of Jagatsinghpur and Cuttack wrongly diagnosed her as HIV positive. She has made the State Health Department, CDMO of Jagatsinghpur District Head Quarter hospital, District Magistrate and the VCCTC centres of Jagatsinghpur and Cuttack as parties in the case and prayed before the consumer court to provide justice to her by compensating her. "I was forced to leave the hospital and later admitted in the Balikuda Community Health Centre by concealing the reports of VCCTC of Jagatsinghpur in which the authorities had wrongfully detected me as HIV positive woman. Even the doctors and nurses of Jagatsinghpur and Balikuda allegedly misbehaved and humiliated me taking the erroneous VCCTC reports in their stride about my status as HIV positive", informed Laxmi. (Pioneer 11/2/08)

14. Bad times again for HIV+ Bensy, Benson (3)  (Click here for content list)

Thiruvananthapuram : Bensy and Benson, the two HIV positive children who fought a gritty battle to prevent schools in Kerala from turning them away a few years back, have developed health complications. The elder of the two, 13-year-old Bensy, is suffering from chest infection and has become very weak, doctors at the SAT Hospital here said. She was admitted to the hospital on Friday. Lalitha Kailas, the doctor treating Bensy, told IANS she now weighs 16 kg. "Due to depression, she has not been eating regularly. That is why she lost weight and had to be admitted. We have given her counselling and she has started eating again," Lalitha said Monday. Bensy's brother, 11-year-old Benson, is also under observation at the hospital. The two children got the infection from their parents, who passed away a few years ago. Bensy and Benson got a lot of media attention when, led by their grandfather, they barged into the State secretariat when AK Antony was the Chief Minister, seeking his intervention to stop schools from turning them away. In 2004, after two years of struggle, they were re-admitted to the Government run school near their home at Chathanur in Kollam district, about 50 km from here. However, their grandfather died in 2005, leaving them in the care of their grandmother who suffers from various ailments, including poor eyesight. "Bensy will have to remain hospitalised for a few more days. We are giving her the requisite treatment and are sure that there is nothing to worry about at the moment," Lalitha said. The fight put up by these two children to get access to education drew attention to the plight of HIV positive children and the silver lining today is that the Left Government is considering cancelling the registration of schools that ostracise such children.(Pioneer 12/2/08)

15. Govt, UNICEF call for media attention on HIV/AIDS (3)  (Click here for content list)

Ranchi : HIV/AIDS is a silent emergency that has enveloped the State's social psyche both in terms of a social taboo, wherein HIV/AIDS is considered an infectious disease that leads to death, and also lack of awareness and information regarding the possible treatment involved in making life stable after one is infected with the virus. Pradeep Kumar, project director, Jharkhand State AIDS Control Society (JSACS), who while addressing mediapersons at a media orientation workshop on Red Ribbon express in Jharkhand on Tuesday, highlighted the role of mass media in HIV AIDS awareness campaign. "Ignorance and misinformation often creates brouhaha about HIV AIDS. Through mass media, a behavioural change can be brought about. Changing the pre-conceived notions about HIV AIDS is the only preventive measure that can put a red signal to the virus," said Kumar. State Health Secretary SP Sinha, in his short but inspiring speech said, "HIV is both a social and a health related issue. We need to bring the infected lot into the mainstream society and only then we can together fight HIV. Any issue taken up by the media, has in most of the cases registered success. We need to wipe out the fear associated with HIV AIDS." Keeping in tune with the nation wide campaign to mainstream the issue of HIV/AIDS around, the Red Ribbon Express, an initiative to fight with the HIV epidemic in India will halt at 180 stations all across India, will be arriving in Ranchi on February 16. "Our mission will not be successful unless people come and see what the red ribbon train has to offer. Dissemination of information is equally important. Hence through media, a convergence in efforts can be brought about to spread HIV/AIDS related information," Kumar said. P Gurnani, State Representative, UNICEF, Jharkhand, re emphasised the "prevention is better than cure" formula as the only way out to fight the virus. Here the media can help in passing on the right information to the ignorant masses," he said. (Pioneer 13/2/08)

16. Give HIV boy relief’ (3)  (Click here for content list)

Bhubaneswar, Feb. 13: The Orissa Human Rights Commission has asked the state government to redress the plight of an HIV-infected orphan boy living in the Patkura area of Kendrapara district. The order came following an earlier a petition filed by civil society groups.The petitioners alleged that the boy from the Patkura area was on the verge of starvation after his parents died of AIDS recently. It mentioned that neither the government agencies nor the NGOs which receive funds to provide relief to HIV-infected people have come forward to take note of the plight of the child. The commission, taking cognisance of the petition, has asked the Kendrapara collector to compile a report on the steps taken by it to provide gratuitous relief to the distressed child. "In a welfare state, it’s an obligatory responsibility of the government agencies to look after the starving and suffering people within administrative parameters. The government officials should inculcate humane approach in extending aid to poor HIV-infected people," the panel observed. (Asian Age 14/2/08)

17. ‘Wage war against AIDS’ (3)  (Click here for content list)

CHANDIGARH: The Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Vijender Jain, has urged the people, especially the legal fraternity, to launch a crusade against AIDS and female foeticide. Participating in the centenary celebrations of the Jagadhari Bar Association at Jagadhari, Mr. Justice Jain said that in a civilised society such a crusade was all the more important and the members of the Bar should play a meaningful role in motivating the people. He said the Haryana Government was providing a better infrastructure in the judicial complexes at the district and sub-division levels. Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda lauded the role of the Bar Association and recalled that it was set up in 1907 by founder-president Jyoti Prasad. At that time it had just five members which had now risen to more than 700. He urged the legal fraternity to help the people, especially the poor, in getting prompt justice at minimum charges. The Administrative Judge of Yamunanagar district, Justice S.S. Saron, District and Sessions Judge Virender Singh, and the president of the Bar Association, Pardeep Rathore were among the other speakers. (The Hindu 6/3/08)

18. HIV screening during period of pregnancy crucial, say experts (3)  (Click here for content list)

PUDUCHERRY: Expectant mothers should undergo HIV testing during pregnancy to prevent HIV transmission to children, experts said on Thursday. On the occasion of the International Women’s Day, the Pondicherry AIDS Control Society (PACS) organised a symposium for college students on ‘Present Women’s Problem in the Society.” Addressing the gathering, project director of PACS Gilbert Fernandez said it was important to prevent the parent to child transmission of HIV. “It is important for mothers to undergo HIV screening during pregnancy to protect the children. Similarly, HIV testing before marriage is important. People should realise the importance of HIV screening,” he added. Of the total HIV positive population, more than 50 per cent were women, he said, adding, “When compared to men, the risk of contracting HIV is four-fold for women.” A survey revealed that the awareness level of HIV/AIDS among youth in Puducherry was 90 to 95 per cent, Dr. Fernandez said. PACS was also distributing free Anti Retroviral drugs to around 500 HIV positive persons at the government hospital for the last four years. He also stressed the importance of not discriminating the affected persons. Deputy-Director of Family Welfare Services Vijaya Balakandan said medications were available to prevent parent to child transmission of HIV. “During pregnancy, the mothers should compulsorily undergo HIV screening to prevent transmission of HIV to the next generation. Free medication for this is available at the government hospital, maternity hospital and JIPMER,” Dr. Balakandan added. She highlighted the importance to work towards an AIDS-free world for which awareness was essential. Member of Legislative Assembly R.Viswanathan referred to the problems faced by women in society. According to him, there were over four lakh women in Puducherry and the literacy level was around 73 per cent. Literacy level among Muslim women was low, he added. He stressed the need for a change in the mindset to ensure an empowered society for women. Students from various colleges in the Union Territory participated in the symposium. Chairperson of Puducherry Municipality B. Sridevi, municipal councillor B.Tamizharasi and literary person Bharathi Baskar spoke on the occasion. (The Hindu 7/3/08)

19. 156 HIV+ jawans sent home between 2004-06 (3)  (Click here for content list)

PUNE: The armed forces have invalided 156 personnel with full-blown HIV-AIDS between 2004 and 2006. Although figures for 2007 are yet to be compiled, senior officers at Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) hope the number will reduce. Of the 156 personnel, 141 were from the army, nine from the navy and six from the air force. While the number of such personnel was 104 in 2004, it was 36 and 16 in 2005 and 2006 respectively. A senior officer at the Southern Command in Pune said the figures were given by defence minister A K Antony in response to a question from CPM MP Abu Ayes Mondal in the Lok Sabha during the current session. AFMS sources said the fall in the number of personnel invalided from the services was because of the decline in the number of fresh cases of AIDS/HIV. "Unlike other institutions, there is no discrimination against HIV-infected personnel in the forces. Only those who develop disabling manifestations are invalided out with full pay and other benefits," said an officer  (Times of India 7/3/08)

20. Now, marriage bureau for HIV affected (3)  (Click here for content list)

TIRUCHI: HIV positive people, looking for life partners, need not end up a blind alley any longer. Help is at hand. A Tiruchi-based voluntary organisation, Anbalayam, has floated an exclusive marriage information bureau for HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) positive people. The organisation, which has been working for AIDS prevention, has decided to compile a data base of HIV positive persons to offer match-making service for them. The initiative is as an attempt to prevent the spread of HIV through matrimony. “Our experience shows that a majority of HIV positive young women have been infected through their husbands. Many youth, even if they know they are positive, give into pressure from the family and get married. The spouse often ends up an unsuspecting victim. We hope to check this trend by giving HIV positive youths an opportunity to identify a suitable partner,” T.K.S. Senthil Kumar, founder director, Anbalayam, told The Hindu. And the bureau registry received four entries, including three girls, on the opening day on Friday. The details of people registered with the bureau would be kept strictly confidential. “There are many HIV positive persons looking to get married. There are widows and widowers too looking to start life afresh. But the social stigma gives them little chance of realising their wish. We want to help them through a State-wide network. The bureau is probably the first of its kind in Tamil Nadu,” said Mr. Senthil Kumar, a strong votary of making pre-marital HIV test compulsory for youth. He hoped that the initiative would encourage youngsters to come forward to test themselves. Inaugurating the bureau, M. Vijayalakshmi, president, HIV Positive People Network, made a strong case for youth going in for voluntary testing before marriage. (The Hindu 9/3/08)

21. Himachal for pre-marital AIDS tests (3)  (Click here for content list)

Shimla, March 10: Himachal Pradesh is no longer safe from HIV. In fact, the AIDS bomb is ticking in the hilly state. With more than 2,622 HIV positive cases detected in the state till December 31, Himachal can’t take it easy. Ironically, 60 per cent of the HIV-affected persons are women, who contracted the dreaded disease from their husbands. Official figures put the number of AIDS patients at around 499 in the state. Alarmed over the situation, the BJP Government has come out with an idea of pre-marital AIDs tests. “We’ll motivate the people to go in for pre-marital AIDs tests. Just as horoscopes are matched before marriage, youths can also match their AIDS test reports,” said Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal. This step, however, would be voluntary, not backed by the Government. The Government would only spread awareness and work out strategies to fight the disease. In his Budget speech, the CM had announced a battle against AIDS and asked the Government agencies to take all necessary steps to check the spread of the disease. Reports suggest that the highest instance of AIDS cases is reported from Dhumal’s native district of Hamirpur, followed by Mandi and Sirmaur districts. Over a dozen persons have died of the disease in the state in the past 15 years, though health officials admit that the exact number of persons could be much higher. Dhumal says nearly 2,622 Anganwari centres working in the state could also be converted into Red Ribbon clubs for spreading awareness, especially in the industrial belt and areas with higher instance of AIDS cases. However, some of the NGOs working for AIDS control claim Government intervention has not been effective. “There are people, including those affected by the disease, who are not prepared to talk on the issue.This is due to lack of awareness. If the Government is able to motivate the people to go for pre-marital tests, steps will surely be beneficial. But how many will actually be ready?” asks Gopal Krishan, an activist working with Gyan Vigyan Samiti, a leading NGO here. Dr Sulakshana Puri, project director of the AIDS Control Society, says the Government is taking help of NGOs and social organisations in spreading awareness. Some of the NGOs have been able to reach out to the AIDS victims and managed to motivate them to take up vocational jobs. “Pre-marital AIDS test is a futuristic step, and its results will be amazing once motivation level is raised,” she feels. (Indian Express 11/3/08)

22. Programme discusses opportunistic infections in HIV persons (3)  (Click here for content list)

PUDUCHERRY: Considering the importance of preventing opportunistic infections in HIV positive persons, a number of medical professionals discussed the causes and treatment modalities to reduce morbidity and mortality in patients at a Continuous Medical Education programme on Saturday. The programme on ‘HIV and Opportunistic Infections’ was organised by the Department of Microbiology of Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) along with the Pondicherry AIDS Control Society (PACS) Inaugurating the programme, director of JIPMER K.S.V.K. Subba Rao advised doctors not to discriminate HIV positive persons. He urged the doctors to treat the patients with care. The advent of Anti Retroviral Therapy had improved the quality of life in patients with HIV, providing a longer and qualitative life. Director-professor and head of department of microbiology S.C. Parija said the death of HIV positive persons was not owing to HIV alone but primarily due to opportunistic infections caused by pathogens. The objective of the programme was to discuss such opportunistic pathogens causing diseases in HIV positive persons and also to review the laboratory methods of diagnosis and treatment modalities, he added. Medical superintendent of JIPMER Ashok Kumar Das emphasised the need for treatment of opportunistic infections to reduce mortality and morbidity in patients. Around 60 residents from JIPMER and other medical colleges of Puducherry participated in the programme. Project Director of PACS Gilbert Fernandez and professor of microbiology B.N. Harish also spoke. (The Hindu 12/3/08)

23. HP Minister urges youth to go for HIV test  (3)  (Click here for content list)

Shimla : The Himachal Health Minister Rajeev Bindal on Thursday endorsed the advice of Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal to the youth to undergo voluntary HIV test before marriage just like they match their horoscopes. Replying to a question of former Congress Minister, Kaul Singh Thakur during the question hour, Bindal said that 2,653 HIV positive cases had been detected in the State from 1992 to January 2008 of which 506 cases were full blown AIDS cases, he added. He said that maximum number of 630 HIV positive cases were detected in the biggest Kangra district followed by Hamirpur (622). Bindal clarified that no survey had been conducted in the State to identify HIV positive cases. He said that this test was conducted at integrated counselling and testing centres free of cost. (Pioneer 14/3/08)

24. HIV-positive women seek a better deal (3)  (Click here for content list)

JAIPUR: HIV-positive women have sought job cards under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGA) and subsidized grain through the Public Distribution System and Antyodaya Anna Yogna. The Government has to ensure the right to food and work of the afflicted persons, most of whom are widows with young children, they have said. A two-day meeting of HIV-positive women organised here by the Positive Women’s Network, PUCL (Rajasthan), Lawyers’ Collective and Office of Commissioners to the Supreme Court on Right to Food found most of the affected women in heavy debt due to treatment costs and loss of livelihood. Many of them are facing the double burden of widowhood and positive status but get very little support in terms of employment opportunities and pension. More than 70 HIV-positive women from Barmer, Jhunjhunu, Ajmer, Jaipur, Karauli, Dholpur, Jalore, Churu and Hanumangarh districts took part in the meeting. “The situation in Rajasthan is more delicate as 30 per cent of the total affected persons are women against 26 at the national level,” observed Sudhir Verma, Director of the Social Policy Research Institute. “Another aspect about the State is that the cases are reported more from the rural districts than the urban centres,” he noted. “Very few of HIV-positive women get pension. Although they are given drugs for free, they need to spend a lot of money on transport to collect them,” observed Sushila of PWN. Rajasthan has drug centres only in Jaipur and Jodhpur and there is a need to locate one centre in each of the districts, she pointed out. In a declaration titled “Jaipur Declaration by Positive Women”, the groups sought at least 35 kg of wheat at Rs.2 per kg every month under the Antyodaya Anna Yogna to HIV-positive member households. The widows should be given separate AAY cards even if they stayed with an extended family. The State Government on its part could put in another 35 kg at Rs.2 per kg to double the entitlement, it said. The declaration demanded pension for all HIV-positive widows without any eligibility restrictions. (The Hindu 15/3/08)

25. HIV-positive couple marry in Rajasthan (3)  (Click here for content list)

Jaipur, March 19: Chhatarpal Singh and Rekha have reason to smile: they are Rajasthan’s first HIV-positive married couple. "We will live together till our last breath," said the groom. Social workers and half a dozen HIV-positive people were present at the ceremony to bless the newly-weds. "It is the first time that two HIV-positive people have married in Rajasthan," said Dinesh Pandey, secretary of the Yuva Bharat Sansthan (YBS). The marriage took place at Rathkhana in Bikaner on Tuesday and the couple vowed to support each other. Rajasthan Network for HIV-Positive also supported the couple in arranging the marriage. According to YBS, Chhatarpal Singh and Rekha grew close when they met at a gathering of HIV-positive people. Both were diagnosed as HIV-positive in 2004 and decided to live together as husband and wife. Rekha has a nine-year-old daughter who is also HIV -positive. Rekha’s husband had died due to HIV while Chhatarpal Singh was a bachelor. The marriage ceremony was simple and sweets were distributed as guests greeted the couple. The couple followed Arya Samaj rituals. "We want to set an example for others," Rekha said. (Asian Age 20/3/08)

26. Over 180 get tested for HIV (3)  (Click here for content list)

CHANDIGARH: Amongst the lakhs of people surging at Anandpur Sahib for Hola Mohalla celebrations there are many who are looking for a salvation of a different kind. And it is the laboratory technicians who are appearing as messiahs — ending the agonizing anxiety if the one-night-stand that people might have had passed on the HIV virus to them or if they are still safe. Over 180 people have got themselves tested for HIV in the special detection camps held at Anandpur Sahib during the festive celebrations. It is not just the routine suspects, like the truck drivers, who are being targeted in the camps. "The most vulnerable population," State Aids Control Society project director NM Sharma said, "is aware enough to get routinely tested at the VCTC centres now available across the rural areas. Now, we are hitting at the micro level, targeting those who might have at some time or the other strayed outside the wedlock and picked up the infection." About 30 persons, mostly men, gave their blood for testing on Thursday at Anandpur Sahib. Their festivities turned more colourful and joyful when they were told on Friday that all had tested negative for the virus. About 75 people, again mostly men, turned up for HIV screening on Friday. Buoyed by the encouraging response to the HIV screening at religious occasions, the health authorities have integrated such camps in its policy. Already two similar camps have been held at religious fairs — one at Jhod mela in Fatehgarh Sahib and another at Ayush mela at Amritsar. Though last year so many people had not been all that lucky. At least five people, who had come to celebrate Holi at Anandpur Sahib's famed Hola Mohala, went back home as emotional wrecks after they tested positive at the detection camp. This included two couples, one of whom has been put on the anti-retroviral treatment.  (Times of India 22/3/08)

27. AIDS toll may reach 5 lakh by 2020: Panel (3)  (Click here for content list)

New Delhi, March 26: India and other countries in Asia need to be worried about containing HIV/AIDS if they want to sustain their economic growth. An independent commission, consisting of nine members across Asia and led by Dr C. Rangarajan, chief economic adviser to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has presented a report to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon wherein it has warned that almost 8 million adults and children in Asia-Pacific will be newly infected between 2008 and 2020, taking the annual death toll to almost 500,000 by 2020 if the epidemic is not contained. The report says that currently nearly five million people are living with HIV in Asia with 440,000 people dying each year. According to the report titled "Redefining AIDS in Asia — Crafting an effective response", if Asian countries fail to mount a largely scaled up priority response in Asia they will have to incur dramatic costs due to their inaction. Underscoring the importance of the commission’s findings and recommendations Dr Rangarajan said, "Over the past 18 months, the Commission has collected, reviewed and synthesised the scientific evidence surrounding the epidemics in Asia to recommend a more effective response." Highlighting the central findings of the report he said that firstly the Commission found that the existing global classification of low, concentrated and generalised epidemics does not reflect the situation in Asian countries, and recommended formulation of a new classification, which describes epidemics according to the biological and behavioural trends. Dr Rangarajan also highlighted that the current allocation of the existing resources has not focused on effective priority interventions which can have an impact on the epidemic and reduce new infections. The commission recommends that an annual investment of only $0.30 per capita on focused prevention programmes can reverse the epidemics. (Asian Age 27/3/08)

28. 5 million Asians have HIV, 8 million more by 2020, warns report (3)  (Click here for content list)

NEW DELHI, MARCH 28: Nearly five million people are living with HIV in Asia with 4,40,000 people dying each year. If the spread of the virus continues in the current rate, an additional eight million people will become affected by 2020,” according to a study on AIDS in Asia released in New York on Wednesday. The independent study identified that in Asia, the virus is mainly spread by “men who go for paid sex”. The number of such men is estimated to be around 75 million in Asia, and around 10 million women sell sex to these men. According to the report, if Asian countries fail to mount a proper response, they will have to incur huge losses. This will mean that almost eight million adults and children in Asia-Pacific will be newly affected between 2008 and 2020. The annual death toll will increase to almost 5,00,000 by 2020. But if Asian leaders implement a programme to contain the disease right away, the number of newly affected can be kept at three million. The death toll can be kept at less than 3,00,000 in 2020, saving the lives of more than 2,00,000 people each year. “By spending between half a dollar and one dollar per capita, depending on the prevalence rate in the country, 80 per cent coverage of HIV prevention, treatment, care and livelihood security programmes can be achieved,” the report has claimed. The report, “Redefining AIDS in Asia—Crafting an effective response” outlined the recommendations for effective national responses to AIDS across Asia. “High-impact interventions, such as HIV prevention programmes focused on key populations and antiretroviral treatment, should constitute the core of the HIV response across Asia,” the report recommended. The Commission believes that governments in Asia have the potential to make the ambitious international targets — 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS as well as Millennium Development Goal 6 to halt and reverse the epidemic by 2015 — a reality if they take the decisive steps set out in the report. The report, however, acknowledged effective responses in India, Cambodia and Thailand but found a “lack of urgency” or coherence, not enough to curb the disease. (Indian Express 29/3/08)

29. How HIV tricks immune system: Study (3)  (Click here for content list)

LONDON: HIV tricks our natural defences by showing itself as normal trash in a cell, rather than an enemy marked for destruction, ensuring its survival in dodgy ways, says a new study. When a common cold virus infects people, the immune system produces cells that can quickly get rid of the virus. But when HIV manages to hide itself in a human cell, it easily afflicts victims for a lifetime. HIV produces a protein called Nef that binds to immune cells and alters it in a way that the virus registers as cellular trash rather than being visible on the surface, hence unseen by human defences, said researcher Kathleen Collins of the University of Michigan. Accordingly, Nef protein recruits other proteins fabricated naturally within the cells to aid this subversion. US scientists have identified these proteins and developed inhibitors to reverse the activity of Nef, enabling our immune system to get rid of the virus. These findings were presented on Tuesday at the Society for General Microbiology in Edinburgh. "We have discovered that Nef takes on notably different shapes and structural forms in different contexts, which allows it to reveal or obscure different traffic signals within the infected cell as needed. "Once we have a better understanding of the surfaces and shapes involved in these interactions, we will be in a better position to develop medicines which may someday help to combat AIDS," Collins said.  (Times of India 1/4/08)

30. AIDS-affected persons unite to fight adversities of life (3)  (Click here for content list)

Bhopal : Registered with a noble cause in 1997 at Chennai, the Indian Network for People Living with AIDS/HIV (INP+) is now strengthening its network in the State to ensure a hassle-free life for the affected people. Hundreds of people living with HIV/AIDS have come together on a common platform under the banner of INP+ to fight the adversities of life. As the disease is widespread in Indore, Burhapur and Ujjain region of the State, about 115 people alone in Ujjain have joined the network to communicate the problems of the affected people to the Government, health authorities, community and society at large. Any HIV positive could procure the membership by paying a paltry sum of Rs 12. The membership could be renewed annually by paying the abovementioned sum. Besides counselling, the members convene meeting of support groups at regular interval to redress grievances of affected people and ensure they are not deprived of schemes announced for them. Rajneesh (name changed), who is HIV positive, and a member of INP+, informed that about 115 affected people have become members of the non-profit organisation in Ujjain alone. The objective of the organisation is to acquaint people living with AIDS/HIV of various schemes commenced for them. Besides, it also provides people with a common platform to interact and devise solution to their problems. Ostracised AIDS patients not only find people to share their problems but also get a platform to communicate their problems to authorities concerned by joining the group, he exulted. Speaking on the recent projects undertaken by the State unit to assist the affected people, Rajneesh informed that the State unit had bagged a project of Sweden-based 'Global Fund' fighting for the cause of AIDS patients. Apart from INP+, the Hind Latex Family Programme Trust (HLFPT) and Population Foundation of India would also implement the projects financed by the Global Fund, he added. (Pioneer 7/4/08)

31. Battling HIV with aid (3)  (Click here for content list)

After Naxalism, Jharkhand has another battle on its hands: the HIV/AIDS epidemic. According to official figures, the state recorded 1,062 HIV positive cases in 2007 as against 287 in 2005 and 679 in 2006. In capital Ranchi, 566 persons were screened since January 1, 2007, and the number of full-blown AIDS cases has been officially put at eight. Experts say people who work as migrant labourers in other states are at high risk—a number of people from the state work as migrant labourers in cities such as Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai. Records show that 80 per cent of HIV positive persons are migrant labourers so the government’s battle against the epidemic is concentrated in villages located along national highways in these districts. The Jharkhand AIDS Control Samiti (JACS) has set up a home for HIV/AIDS patients in Ranchi. The Ursuline Community Centre (UCC), an ancillary of the Catholic Church, is the first such centre in the state. All the 12 HIV positive residents at the centre are migrant labourers. Seven-year-old Bharti came to the centre when her parents Ganesh Manjhi and Rukmani Devi, both migrant labourers, died last year. JACS has also set up AIDS detection laboratories in government hospitals in 15 of the 24 districts, including Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Dhanbad, Bokaro, Hazaribgh and Palamau. The Ursuline Community Centre has come as a blessing for people like 32-year-old Kartik Yadav. He had worried himself sick about how to take care of his family ever since all of them tested positive for HIV. But now, his family—wife Rukhi (30) and two sons Kundan (6) and Jai (2)—won’t have to worry about food, lodging and medicine. The centre, which was set up last year with two HIV patients, now has 16 residents, including four children who are between two and six years old. The residents are grateful to Panjikaran Jacob and Sushila Bhengra who set up the center, which even has a play area for the children. Though another rehabilitation centre, Holy Cross, had come up in Hazaribagh, JACS began to back these homes after HIV spread its tentacles in Jharkhand in an alarming way. .(Indian Express 9/4/08)

32. HIV-infected man pricks children with needle soaked in his blood (3)  (Click here for content list)

Belgaum: In a bizarre and what is being viewed as heinous act of atrocity and cruelty, a middle-aged person suspected to be HIV-positive allegedly pricked a needle soaked with his own blood into two young children to avenge an old dispute. Both the children have been admitted to the District Government Hospital and necessary procedures were being followed to find out whether the two children have contracted the disease. The Gokak Town Police have registered a case against the accused Parshuram Naik. According to the complaint lodged by Lingappa Naik, on April 9 morning Parshuram entered his house in Shindikur when there were no elders inside. He took out a needle and first pricked himself and subsequently pricked it to Lingappa’s daughter Lakshmi (6) and son Shivanand (4). On learning about the incident, Mr. Lingappa took the children to the District Government Hospital in Belgaum as he apprehended that his children could contact AIDS. In his complaint, Mr. Lingappa alleged that Parshuram was an AIDS patient and feared that the latter did the act only to settle a previous score with him. Both Mr. Lingappa and Mr. Parshuram work at same factory in Gokak Falls near Gokak town and are neighbours in Shindikur. When contacted, A.M. Narikatti, the doctor who is attending on Laxmi and Shivanand, told The Hindu that the needle used by the accused was “solid” used for stitching purposes (which cannot be used for injecting purpose), and not the hollow used in hospitals or by medical professionals. Thus, the needle cannot transfer sufficient quantity of HIV tissues into the body to cause AIDS. However, all necessary procedures were being followed and it would take six weeks to six months time to know if the children have been infected with HIV. Thus, the children would be kept under observation, even as distant possibility of them being contracted by HIV virus, he said. (The Hindu 15/4/08)

33. Unions to make efforts for prevention of AIDS (3)  (Click here for content list)

BHUBANESWAR: Trade unions operating in the State have decided to make a coordinated effort for prevention of HIV/AIDS in work place across the State. At a one-day consultative workshop on workplace intervention, representatives of most of the unions, including Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) and All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) expressed concern over the spread of the dreaded disease. They said the disease had become a serious threat to the workforce. The meeting was organised by Orissa State AIDS Control Society (OSACS), in collaboration with Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust and voluntary organisation, OXFAM. Nearly 90 per cent of the reported HIV infections in the country are in the 15-49 years age group. This is the age group, to which most workers belong, in both the organised and unorganized sector. “Orissa, though, is a low prevalence State but highly vulnerable to HIV/AIDS,” Parameswar Swain, OSACS Project Director, said. (The Hindu 17/4/08)

34. Indians have no genetic shield against HIV, says study (3) (Click here for content list)

NEW DELHI: There is some bad news on the HIV-AIDS front. A multi-institutional nationwide study of the genetic landscape of people of the country conducted by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research has revealed that a known protective genetic marker against HIV-1 sub-type is virtually absent in the country. In other words, the people in the country are bereft of any natural or genetic protection against HIV-AIDS. The study, which involved scientists and researchers drawn from six CSIR laboratories as well as experts at the Indian Statistical Institute and anthropologists from several institutions, has also revealed that vegetarians among north Indians are at a high risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, if they also had low levels of vitamin B12. Releasing the findings on Friday, Union Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal said studies with regard to other diseases were under way. The results would be available in due course. The other diseases under study include diabetes, asthma, epilepsy, cancer, parkinsonism, chronic pancreatitis, malaria, glaucoma and retinitis pigmentosa. A major aim of the project is to make predictions of both diseases as also the effectiveness of specific drugs used for various diseases. A pilot pharmacogenomic study on response to salbutamol, which is used for treatment of asthma, has, for instance, identified genetic markers in a receptor gene, which could classify individuals as poor and good responders. This kind of findings could help in better management of diseases. A large number of projects would be undertaken during the eleventh plan period that would aim at using the data for predictive marker discovery and pharmacogenomics, he added. The study, which began in 2003, has generated genetic information on over 4,000 genetic markers from over 1,000 bio-medically important and pharmaco-genetically relevant genes. (The Hindu 26/4/08)

35. Indians more prone to HIV-AIDS than others, says study (3)  (Click here for content list)

NEW DELHI: The biggest ever gene mapping exercise of the "people of India" has shown that Indians are more vulnerable to HIV-AIDS than many other population groups around the world. This is because a protective gene marker against HIV-1 is virtually absent in India, making the population more at risk. The study also shows that the risk increases as one moves from north to south India. It also says the Indian gene pool is quite varied and the term or description "Indian" is hardly homogenous. It includes several variations across population groups spread across the country's land mass. On the vulnerability to HIV-AIDS, the study says, "There is a high-to-low gradient from north to south (India). These results are consistent with the observations by Majumder and Dey in 2001, and the antenatal clinical HIV prevalence survey (2005) that reports a high frequency of HIV in south Indian populations." The study, released by science and technology minister Kapil Sibal on Friday, was carried out by more than 150 scientists and researchers from six CSIR laboratories. A part of the genetic landscaping were the Centre for Genomic Applications (Delhi) and a host of anthropologists. Perhaps the largest scientific endeavour since ICAR's Green Revolution effort of 1970s, the mapping covered four main linguistic families of Indians — Austro-Asiatic, Tibeto-Burman, Indo-European and Dravidian. It also encompassed the mostly endogamous (marrying within the larger social group) Indian population defined by distinct religious communities, hierarchical castes and subcastes, and isolated tribal groups. The study, a part of the Indian Genome variation initiative, has generated information on over 4,000 genetic markers from more than 1,000 biomedically important and pharmacogenetically relevant genes in reference groups. The study reveals a high degree of genetic differentiation among Indian ethnic groups and suggests that "pooling" of endogamous populations without regard to "ethno-linguistic factors" will result in false inferences. "We note that the people of India are referred as 'Indian' in many population genetic studies. The implication of such usage is that the Indian population is genetically homogeneous, which, as the results of our study indicate, is evidently not true. However, we have also shown it is possible to identify large clusters of ethnic groups that have substantial genetic homogeneity," it says. The mapping is expected to help in constructing "specific drug response/disease predisposition maps" to aid policy decision making for drug dosage interventions and disease risk management, especially for complex and infectious diseases.  (Times of India 26/4/08)

36. AIDS cases to rise with climate change (3)  (Click here for content list)

WASHINGTON: A leading researcher from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) has cautioned that social factors, including economic pressures, caused by climate change may in turn elevate HIV infection rates world-wide. Daniel Tarantola, Professor of Health and Human Rights at the School of Public Health and Community Medicine, has said that in order to prevent a dramatic escalation of the HIV epidemic as well as other health problems, the world has to address the HIV problem in developing countries. "It was clear soon after the emergence of the HIV epidemic that discrimination, gender inequality and lack of access to essential services have made some populations more vulnerable than others. These problems have not gone away," said Professor Tarantola. He added: "Today, additional threats are lurking on the horizon as the global economic situation deteriorates, food scarcity worsens and climate change begins to affect those who were already dependent on survival economies. The same is true for climate change. Climate change will trigger a chain of events which is likely to increase the stress on society and result in higher vulnerability to diseases including HIV." "Science has achieved great strides towards shaping a more effective response to HIV. Yet research has not succeeded in producing the hoped-for 'magic bullets' of either a cure or a vaccine," said Professor David Cooper AO, Director of UNSW's National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research (NCHECR). He added: "We need to escalate our research efforts while sustaining and expanding what we know works: good prevention and access to life-saving antiretroviral therapy and integrated care." Professor Tarantola joined a panel of top HIV researchers to address the topic "A Future Free of HIV" at UNSW on April 30.  (Times of India 4/5/08)

37. Andhra district scripts HIV success story (3)  (Click here for content list)

Guntur : This coastal Indian district was once notorious for high HIV prevalence, but it has now become a role model for others by reducing the number of new cases to nearly half in three years. According to a Government survey, HIV prevalence in Guntur in 2003 was 3.35 per cent - the highest among the 23 districts in the State. But in 2005, the figure came down to 2.75 per cent and in 2006, it was 1.75 per cent. "Guntur was among one of the high HIV-prevalence districts in the country in 2003. But following concerted efforts by Government and non-Government agencies, the figures have come down to 1.7 per cent," B Kalidas, additional project director of AP State AIDS Control Society (APSACS), told IANS. "It is now a role model for other districts." Guntur is famed for Asia's largest chilly market and has a population of over 4.4 million. About 87-km of National Highway 5 passes through the district, accounting for a high number of truckers here. These drivers are seen as a prime reason for the spread of HIV/AIDS. But a combination of programmes seems to be proving effective in Guntur where 36 NGOs are active in different capacities. The largest network, Telugu Network of Positive People, headed by Ramesh Babu, boasts of nearly 45,000 activists, who go to every village to spread awareness about the disease and to help remove the stigma attached to it. Babu said there are nearly 10,000 sex workers in the district and pre-marital and extra-marital sexual relations were the main reason for the high HIV prevalence rate. Guntur has around 30,000 HIV/AIDS patients. Andhra Pradesh accounts for 500,000 of India's estimated 2.5 million HIV/AIDS patients. Around 90 per cent of infected people in the State contract the virus from unsafe sex. Statistics, however, suggest that Guntur was the only district where the numbers came down drastically in three years, while the percentage became double or more in places like Hyderabad, Khammam, Mahabubnagar, Medak, Ranga Reddy and Kurnool. "The UN driven programme, Charca, which was exclusively launched here, coupled with other mass awareness programmes - Aasha and Be Bold - have played a key role in containing HIV prevalence in the district," Kalidas said. Charca is a coordinated effort among UN agencies in India to reduce the vulnerability of young women to HIV and sexually transmitted infections, thereby empowering them to protect themselves. Doctor Ravinder Reddy of the Guntur Government Hospital said there has been a sea change in people's attitude towards HIV positive people. (Pioneer 12/5/08)

38. AIDS incidence coming down in Tamil Nadu  (3)  (Click here for content list)

MUMBAI: World Bank South Asia Region vice-president Praful Patel said empirical data showing a downward trend in prevalence of HIV in places such as Tamil Nadu was a measure of the success of the anti-AIDS programme. In the South Asia region, there was evidence that trends were reversing in the population. Tamil Nadu has a prevalence rate of 0.26 per cent as opposed to the national rate of 0.36 per cent. In an interview to The Hindu on Thursday, Mr. Patel said the computations in 2006 of HIV positive people in India indicated that the numbers were around 2.5 to 3.1 million. Endorsing the national statistics which had generated a controversy some time ago, Mr. Patel said the National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) had engaged in a process to get the best possible estimates and the statistics was based on household surveys, medical data and surveillance studies. This was also accepted by UNAIDS and other agencies. Reversing the trend was important, he said. One of the biggest gaps was that too much attention was paid to prevention and not enough for care and treatment. With medicines now costing below $200 as opposed to $20,000 earlier, the poor can access medical care, he said. The National Aids Control Programme has received $250 million for its third phase. The Bank is also about to launch a programme on vector-borne diseases. Asked if AIDS programmes received disproportionate funding, he said many HIV affected people told him they wished they had malaria. A person suffering from malaria does not suffer from stigma. That was the critical factor which needed to be addressed in the fight against AIDS. Mr. Patel was here for a Development Marketplace event, a competition among NGOs to create programmes to remove the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS. The Development Marketplace was introduced five or six years ago and 50 such events had already taken place all over the world. Stake-holders said there were a lot of insights but little action on the ground. As many as 1,100 proposals were received from eight countries and the shortlisted 25 would receive $40,000 to implement the project over the next 18 months. “It is a performance-based contract and will be reviewed after nine months,” Mr. Patel said. The NGOs will have to show some progress in their projects and after that, they will get the remaining 50 per cent of the amount. “At the end of 18 months, we can decide if it’s scalable or not.” (The Hindu 16/5/08)

39. Rally taken out in Chennai in support of HIV Bill in Parliament (3)  (Click here for content list)

CHENNAI: Scores of HIV-infected people, volunteers and students took part in a rally organised as part of the 25th International AIDS Candle Light Memorial Day and Global AIDS Week Action observed here on Sunday. The participants raised slogans demanding that the HIV Bill be passed in Parliament. The International Candle Light Memorial day falls on the third Sunday of May. Communities across the world host memorials for those who have died of HIV and pledge support to those living with it. This year’s theme was ‘Never Give up. Never forget.’ Supriya Sahu, Project Director, Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society, lit a huge candle before the rally started from near the Kannagi statue on Kamarajar Salai. The day is not only meant to remember those who lost their life to AIDS but also to ensure the human rights of those living with HIV, so that they could access the services without any fear of stigma and discrimination, the organisers said. According to the National AIDS Control Organisation, there is a decline in the number of HIV-infected persons in Tamil Nadu. Yet, providing them access to treatment and services remains a challenge what with stigma, the lack of awareness and the non-availability of services in some areas. Tabling the Bill in Parliament will ensure that HIV-positive people have better access to services, the organisers said. (The Hindu (19/5/08)

40. Court grants bail to HIV+ accused  (3)  (Click here for content list)

New Delhi: A man accused in the four-year-old Pushkin Chandra case, in which the son of a former IAS officer and his friend allegedly involved in a homosexual relationship were killed, was on Saturday granted bail by a court here as he was HIV-positive and suffering from tuberculosis. “In view of the circumstances that accused Rajesh Santram is suffering from HIV (infection) as well as tuberculosis and he appeared to be quite ill, his bail is granted to an interim period of two months,” Additional Sessions Judge Vinod Kumar said. The court allowed bail plea of Rajesh, arrested in the case on August 28, 2004 on furnishing a personal and surety bond of Rs 15,000 each.  (The Hindu 18/5/08)

41. Karnataka’s HIV district seeks attention (3)  (Click here for content list)

Kumaraswamy spent a night with an HIV-positive couple. But that’s the last they heard from him

Mudhol (Bagalkot), May 19: Dog lovers have heard about Mudhol, an obscure town in Karnataka’s Bagalkot district around 75 km from the Maharashtra border, because Britain’s King George V christened two hunting dogs ‘the hounds of Mudhol’ after he received them as a gift from an erstwhile Mudhol ruler. But today, this town built around the sugarcane industry has other connections—with Bill Gates and former Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy. A link that has been built around the high HIV prevalence rates in Mudhol and Bagalkot district in recent years. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation indirectly supports an HIV/AIDS awareness scheme for the large number of sex workers in the region and former CM Kumaraswamy put Mudhol in the spotlight by spending a night at the home of an HIV-infected couple at Ingalagi village in Mudhol. Social practices unique to the region like the dedication of young girls from poor families to sex work, in the guise of the ‘devadasi’ custom, have been responsible for the high HIV rates in the district of Bagalkot—often put down at 3.2 per cent of the population and as high as 2.3 per cent among women attending pregnancy clinics. Despite the high HIV incidence or the Kumaraswamy stay, the issue of HIV and the rehabilitation of the 7,500-odd sex workers in the district does not figure on election agendas here. After a break of a few years, the sugar factories in the region are buzzing again. Many that had shut have re-opened thanks to bumper cane production. Farmers displaced by the Almatti dam and compensated for it did much of the business in the region—from sex to supplies—until a few years ago. Today business is good in Mudhol—there are ATMs, cyber cafes and a highway that runs through the town. Maharashtra chief minister Vilas Rao Deshmukh, who campaigned on Monday for the Congress candidate R.B. Thimmapur, a former MLA, spoke both in Hindi and Marathi. “As soon as I saw Mudhol, I felt I was in Sholapur because of the trucks carrying sugarcane,” he said. Among key election issues in the constituency that is reserved for scheduled castes are the distribution of ration cards and provision of a dedicated power supply. Despite organising themselves into self-help groups, the sex workers of Bagalkot have not managed to get their problems addressed—like the admission of their children to hostels or loans that political parties make available to other women self-help groups. “Initially, few women wanted to join from fear of being branded a sex worker. It took us a long while to convince them,” says Madhu Naduvinamane, a 27-year-old peer coordinator who works for the sex workers. Even in Ingalgi village of Mudhol, at the home of Shivanna Mahapathi, 32, and his wife Shubha Mahapathi, the HIV-infected farmer couple with whom former CM Kumaraswamy stayed, there is a feeling of being letdown. “It is true that his stay provided HIV infected people greater acceptance in society. But it was also for his own publicity since he has not done anything for us or anyone else since staying here in January 2007. I asked for a job and travelled to Bangalore (600 km away) at least 10 times but nothing happened. Then, the government fell,” says Shivanna. (Indian Express 20/5/08)

42. Plea to table HIV bill (3)  (Click here for content list)

BERHAMPUR: Tabling of the proposed HIV bill in Parliament would ensure a proper life for HIV-positive people in the country, opined participants in a seminar organised in the city in support of the HIV bill on Saturday. This seminar was organised by the Action Aid and ISRD. It was attended by by union minister of state, Chandrasekhar Sahu, Ganjam zilla parishad president, Dharanidhar Behera, social and political activists. Most participants were in favour of the HIV bill getting passed in Parliament. It may be noted that Ganjam district was the most HIV-prone area of Orissa and it had 40 per cent of the HIV positive people of the State. It was decided to send as many post cards as possible to the Health Ministry from the district in support of the HIV bill. Mr Sahu accepted that ensuring human rights of those living with HIV was still a problem in areas like Ganjam due to social stigma and discrimination. “Yet, providing them access to treatment and services remains a challenge as the lack of awareness and non-availability of services still affect the measures being taken for these people,” he said. The bill is being considered by the Ministry of Health and the National AIDS Control Organization.  (The Hindu 1/6/08)

43. HIV positive dies following fear of social boycott (3)  (Click here for content list)

SILIGURI, June 3: Ostracised by his family members at Hatkhola, Alipurduar in Jalpaiguri district, a 35-year-old HIV positive man died at the Jeshu Ashram in Siliguri today. According to Mr Swapan Bhaduri of the Aliupuduar Red Cross Society, the deceased, Rathin Dutta (36), a daily wage earner, was confirmed HIV positive at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital on 16 May. He was admitted at the NBMCH but his wife and two daughters had him discharged on 28 May due to financial crisis and took him back to their ancestral home in ward number 11 of Alipurduar Municipality. But on their return, the victim's elder brother, Ravi Dutta did not allow their entry. Ravi, who works as a part time cook in festive seasons, apparently did so fearing a social boycott. Following the denial, the family spent the night in the veranda of a closed shop. Learning about the incident the next day, the Alipurduar branch of the Red Cross Society intervened and compelled the elder brother to accommodate the family in their ancestral house on 29 May. But the HIV patient was shifted to the Jeshu Ashram at Matigara in Siliguri the same day. However the man died of fever at the Jeshu Ashram at about 8:30 a.m. this morning. “The Ashram authorities called us this morning and informed that the patient has expired. We have brought the body back to Alipurduar and it would be cremated tonight,” said Mr Swapan Bhaduri, secretary of the Red Cross Alipuduar unit. n SNS (The Statesman 4/6/08)

44. Sneha to be launched in district soon (3)  (Click here for content list)

Non-governmental organisation ODP has decided to launch ‘Sneha’, a project aimed at instilling confidence among the HIV/Aids affected children in Kodagu district. The organisation has planned to take up the scheme in association with a Bangalore-based NGO ‘Catholic Religion Society’. The objective of the organisation is to imbibe self-confidence among the children below 14 years who are suffering from the fatal disease. CARDS, KHPT and CRS institutes are operating against Aids in the State with help of Clinton Foundation. CRS organisation has brrn functioning in 10 districts of Karnataka looking after the health of Aids affected children. ODP has taken up the responsibility of three districts. The organisation has already been working in Mandya and Chamarajanagar, which has decided to step into Kodagu from the present year. The first step of the project is to identify children suffering from HIV/Aids. Such children will be taken to the Clinton Foundation in Bangalore and the problem will be confirmed. After recording their full details, they will be included in the Sneha scheme. However, all details will be kept confidential, the ODP district co-ordinator Joys Menezes said. Apart from instiling confidence, the organisation will also involve in distributing medicines to the victims by visiting their homes or ashramas. Clinton Foundation will train the volunteers who deal with the children, he informed. As many as 50 children (HIV or Aids affected) have been identified in the district. Sneha State Co-ordinator Krishne Gowda wi