Kerala AIDS e Forum: 2011

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Decline in HIV Inidence in Kerala (and Prevalence ?)

Note: Apart from the new report given below please also have a look at another post exactly a year ago, where we shared a Govt. of India press release mentioning the Rising Trends of HIV Prevalence in Kerala - http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/KeralaAIDS/message/374.

AIDS: Youths, migrant labourers new risk groups

T S Preetha, Times News Network | 30 Nov 2011
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/AIDS-Youths-migrant-labourers-new-risk-groups/articleshow/10936044.cms?prtpage=1

KOCHI: Finally, Aids cases in Kerala are showing a turn towards the decline. But health experts in the state are not heaving a sigh of relief as there is a steady increase in the number of youths contracting Aids, posing a threat to the health scene here.

A decade ago, around 3,000-4.000 new cases used to be registered in a year. This has now come down to around 1,000. It is estimated that around 40,060 people are living with HIV/Aids in Kerala, gaining a low prevalence status to the state on the HIV epidemic map of the country. But the National Aids Control Organization's (NACO) 2011 annual report shows that 31 percent of the people affected with HIV are young people below the age of 30. In Kerala, nearly half of the total cases are reported among youths, mainly because of their wrong notions of safe sex.

Now, the highest number of cases is reported from Palakkad, followed by Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur. Concerned about the increase in the number of cases in Palakkad, the Kerala State Aids Control Society (KSACS) has chosen this district for its major programmes this year, beginning with the state-level inauguration of World Aids Day on Thursday.

"Since Palakkad is a border area, many factors, including the high prevalence of Aids in neighbouring states like Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu affect the scene here. So we are planning to start new programmes with the help of local bodies," says Dr K Shylaja, project director of KSACS.

The cases reported among sex workers have also come down during the past years, but now the general population is more at risk because of unsafe sex practices.

"Youths who are more into free sex and migrant labourers who are not aware of the severity of the problem are the new risk groups," says Dr Shylaja.

Strangely, even when voluntary tests are being done more now, the general awareness about Aids seems not to have filtered down to the grassroots level.

"Strangely, we have not conducted any studies on why Kerala shows a low prevalence now. We also need to analyse why youngsters ignore the fact that prevention of Aids is not all about condom promotion," says Joseph Mathew, state president of the Council of People living with HIV/Aids in Kerala (CPK Plus).

The coming days will see more awareness programmes for corporate employees, Kudumbasree workers and health staff to bring down the number of cases.

Since this year's World Aids Day has the theme 'Getting to zero' focusing on the eradication of new cases, discrimination and deaths, experts are bringing in more effective measures to highlight preventive measures and ensure a healthy life.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

This is a message from the KeralaAIDS Yahoo Group
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Send Messages to KeralaAIDS@yahoogroups.com

To Subscribe : Send an email to KeralaAIDS-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

To Subscribe online : Visit http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/KeralaAIDS/join
---------------------------------------------------------------------

__,_._,___

Government Pension for People Living with HIV

Note: Please follow the hyperlink in case the font in Malayalam is not displaying properly. Apart from the Mathrubhumi report given below, more reports about this news item are available from

Times of India , Malayala Manorama, and CNN-IBN

എയ്ഡ്‌സ് രോഗികള്‍ക്ക് 400 രൂപ പെന്‍ഷന്‍

1 December 2011

http://www.mathrubhumi.com/story.php?id=233785

തിരുവനന്തപുരം: സംസ്ഥാനത്തെ എല്ലാ എയ്ഡ്‌സ് രോഗികള്‍ക്കും പ്രതിമാസം 400 രൂപവീതം പെന്‍ഷന്‍ അനുവദിക്കാന്‍ മന്ത്രിസഭായോഗം തീരുമാനിച്ചു.

രോഗി മരിച്ചാല്‍ ഭാര്യക്കോ ഭര്‍ത്താവിനോ 400 രൂപ പെന്‍ഷന്‍ നല്‍കുമെന്നും മുഖ്യമന്ത്രി ഉമ്മന്‍ചാണ്ടി പത്രലേഖകരോട് പറഞ്ഞു. ഡിസംബര്‍ ഒന്ന് അന്തര്‍ദേശീയ എയ്ഡ്‌സ് ദിനം ആചരിക്കുന്നത് പ്രമാണിച്ചാണ് ഈ തീരുമാനം. എയ്ഡ്‌സ് രോഗികള്‍ക്ക് ചികിത്സക്കായി പലതവണ ചികിത്സാകേന്ദ്രങ്ങളിലേക്ക് പോകേണ്ടതായിട്ടുണ്ട്. അതിനാല്‍ പെന്‍ഷന് പുറമെ പ്രതിമാസം 120 രൂപ കൂടി യാത്രാച്ചെലവിനായി അവര്‍ക്ക് നല്‍കുമെന്നും മുഖ്യമന്ത്രി പറഞ്ഞു.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

This is a message from the KeralaAIDS Yahoo Group
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Send Messages to KeralaAIDS@yahoogroups.com

To Subscribe : Send an email to KeralaAIDS-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

To Subscribe online : Visit http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/KeralaAIDS/join
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

World AIDS Day Update from Kerala SACS

http://ksacs.in/wad-2011.php

WAD 2011

December 1, is observed globally as World AIDS Day. The day reminds us that HIV infection is still posing a serious threat to the human race and that the society has a lot to do in preventing HIV as well as in taking care of the infected.

Banner design for WAD 2011
Backdrop design for WAD 2011
IEC Material for KIOSK
WAD 2011 - Reading Material
AIDS Day Pledge
Banner Design for Red Ribbon Clubs
Media Resource

__,_._,___

Is Kerala Remaining Low Prevalent in HIV by Accident? (Journal Scan)

Is Kerala remaining low prevalent in human immunodeficiency virus by accident? A study of risk factors in acquiring human immunodeficiency virus infection in patients attending Anti-retroviral treatment clinic Ajithkumar Kidangazhiayathmana Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Government Medical College, Thrissur, Kerala, India http://dx.doi.org/10.4103/0378-6323.86503 NET LETTER

Year : 2011 \| Volume : 77 \| Issue : 6 \| Page : 729

Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology

Sir,

Kerala continues to be less prevalent for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (0.19%) in spite of the high level of migration from the neighboring high prevalent states. ^[1]^,[2] Only one study has so far evaluated the risk factors for acquiring HIV in Kerala and reasons for the low prevalence. ^[2] We carried out a study to evaluate the role of migration and other risk factors for acquiring HIV infection among the individuals attending the anti-retroviral treatment (ART) center of Government Medical College, Thrissur.

From 3452 PLHA (people living with HIV/AIDS) registered patients, 260 Malayalees were selected by simple random sampling for a detailed interview. Partners of selected participants and those who are not fit physically or mentally to attend an interview were excluded from the study.

The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board and representatives of the local network of PLHAs.

The following details were elicited at the interview: age, sex, place, education, employment, marital status, and HIV status of spouse, details of migration, and the possible risk factors for acquiring HIV infection as perceived by the participant.

The question addressing possible route of infection had various options [Table 1]. History of migration was also elicited. We could not elicit the past history of condom use reliably especially that of the exposures occurred long back in the clinic setting and these data were not studied. Among the 260 respondents, 126 (48.4%) were migrants;116 (44.6%) men and 10 (3.8%) women). A total of 64 (25%) respondents had a migrant spouse.

Table 1: Risk factors associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection in respondents from Anti-retroviral treatment clinic

Click here to view

Thirty-two (12%) were having/had a job which demanded frequent traveling, majority being drivers. A total of 56 out of 82 (68%) women had a migrant spouse. Thus actual number of respondents related to migration directly or indirectly was 165 (63%).

This study shows a great majority of HIV infections among Keralites occurred in migrants and probably through premarital sex with commercial sex workers. Extramarital sexual exposure was relatively less among the respondents. The second commonest risk factor (the most important among women) was marriage to an infected partner [Table 1]. The presence of migrant spouse was significantly associated with female sex (OR 69.27, 95% CI 26.98-177.85) in comparison with males. Our study documents for the first time that migration is strongly associated with premarital sexual exposure (OR 10, 95% CI 5.5--18.6, P 0.00), among the HIV positive respondents of central Kerala [Table 1]. In this study, the majority of the females were married at least once and denied any other risk factors associated with their HIV acquisition. Similar to an earlier study which illustrated marriage as a factor that increases the likelihood of HIV infection among the females, ^[3] this study also indicates that the major risk factor among women in central Kerala is infection from a marital partner. Unfortunately there are no specific prevention strategies which address this mode of transmission.

The low level of extramarital sexual exposures among the nonimmigrant respondents probably explains why Kerala remains less prevalent for HIV. Possibly the low frequency of extramarital/high-risk sex and absence of multiple concurrent sexual partners kept the epidemic within the bridge population and their spouses.

We believe, this study calls for a renewed prevention strategy in Kerala. Probably the absence of such strategy lead to the suggestion for introducing premarital mandatory HIV testing in the state. Such a strategy should aim at the unmarried young prospective migrants and migrants from Kerala living outside. It also suggests the need for awareness programs addressing the premarital youth of Kerala. The possible limitations of this study are bias in selecting patients who attended the ART clinic only and that many who were infected recently were not included in the study. It is possible that reluctance of atleast some of the respondents to divulge some personal information would have occurred in this study. Also this study did n't look into other factors which may have probably contributed to the low number of HIV-positive patients in Kerala which includes the impact of prevention strategies at various levels.

References

1.	HIV declining in India; HIV data New infections reduced by 50% from 2000-2009; Sustained focus on prevention required.National AIDS Controle organisation [Internet]. New Delhi: c2007. Available from: http://www.nacoonline.org/upload/HomePage/NACOPressReleaseonHIVEstimates.pdf. [Last cited on 2011 Feb 24].
2.	Srilatha T. HIV/AIDS scenario in Kerala. Response 2008;1:2-10.
3.	Boileau C, Clark S, Bignami-Van Assche S, Poulin M, Reniers G, Watkins SC, et al. Sexual and marital trajectories and HIV infection among ever-married women in rural Malawi. Sex Transm Infect 2009;85 Suppl 1:i27-33.

__._,_.___

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Article about CPK+ in The Hindu

A positive attitude is the real winner

http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/metroplus/article2656605.ece

Sunil Naliyath | The Hindu | 24 Nov 2011

Origin: CPK+ came into being from a belief that those who have been diagnosed as HIV-positive too have a right to be heard. The year was 1998.

The whole world was slowly getting acquainted with the ‘dreadful' disease then. Quite a bit of confusion still existed. . It was just a few years earlier that the legendary ‘Magic' Johnson shocked the world by declaring himself as HIV-infected. The entire country pessimistically heaved a sigh when promising fashion designer Rohit Khosla followed suit. People were clueless. The medical fraternity was looking for proper and adequate guidelines. And, the worst part of it all was the social stigma attached to the disease. It was not only the patients who were an ostracised lot but the entire family faced discrimination. Some were thrown out of their families. Students were expelled. Jobs were denied. Society dealt with them ruthlessly. Many had to commit suicide. Several of them concealed their status. At the end of the day, the scenario was turning from to bad to worse.

“We began at a time when the level of awareness about HIV remained sub-zero. The general notion was that even a handshake with a patient could transmit the virus. The cost of medicines was prohibitively high and denying treatment at the hospitals was a common occurrence,” reveals Joseph (his real name!), one of the 12 founder-members of CPK+. The attempt to establish a collective in Kochi was inspired by a similar initiative called Indian Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS which got under way at Chennai in 1997, he remembers.

The members of CPK+ acknowledge the initial support provided by IMA Blood Bank in Kochi and the guidance offered by Dr V.P. Kuriyipe, Dr. Varghese Mathew and Dr. Rama among others. The role played by Kerala State AIDS Control Society (KSACS) was also instrumental in establishing and fuelling the growth of CPK+. On submission, its project proposal was immediately approved by KSACS as it was a first-of-its-kind in Kerala and began functioning in a month's time. Men, women and children included, as of now, this exclusive body of HIV-positive people has over 6,000 members.

Activities: Ever since its inception, CPK+ has been upbeat in terms of activities and also in addressing the concerns of its target group. In a run up to the formation of CPK+, a one-day workshop was held at Kochi, which came up with startling revelations. That was just the beginning. The members began their activities by pasting stickers at hospitals announcing the helpline number which was flooded with calls from across the State in no time. Soon after, the issue of distributing medicines was taken up with A. K. Antony, the then Chief Minister of Kerala, who sanctioned Rs. 2.5 crore for distribution of medicines through five medical colleges in Kerala. Through their constant interventions, the Government established five ART Centres in 2004. By 2005-06, all the 14 districts if Kerala had ART Centres.

Impact: The perseverance of CPK+ has brought in refreshing changes in the lives of several thousands of people inflicted with HIV/AIDS in Kerala. They could instil confidence in people to speak out publicly without any inhibitions. They introduced a concept called ‘Positive Speaking' for the first time in the country, which involved information sharing by those with HIV at awareness programmes by revealing their own identity.

Today CPK+ is also engaged in imparting life skill education and Income Generation Programmes (IGP) for their female members. In the process, they have come to assert that a normal life is still possible for people with HIV/AIDS and that a positive attitude is all that matters.

Getting in touch: To know more about CPK+ and their programmes dial its helpline 0484-4025398/99 Email: cpkplus@gmail.com Website: www.cpkplus.org

Red Ribbons being packed at the office of CPK+, Kochi. Photo: Thulasi Kakkat

__._,_.___

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Even Blood is a Commodity.... (Mangalam)

Dear All,

Please read this article. No wonder it is happening in Kerala.

http://mangalam.com/index.php?page=detail&nid=496790&lang=malayalam

Arun

---------------------------------------------------------------------

__,_._,___

HIV patients spread scare in Kerala sub-jail (The Asian Age)

HIV patients spread scare in Kerala sub-jail

9 Nov 2011
http://www.asianage.com/print/106104

HIV positive prisoners are spreading a scare among other inmates in Mattanchery Sub-jail. Authorities are finding it hard to accommodate them in a separate cell.

Officials complain that the HIV positive prisoners often attack inmates and jailors. The jail, which has a capacity of 35, now lodges 72 prisoners. Incidentally, many of them sharing rooms with the HIV positive prisoners are not aware of the scenario.

“We sent three HIV patients to Viyyur Central Jail last week. There are a few more patients here. It is difficult to control them as they show criminal tendencies,” said a jail official.

Jailers and AIDS Control Society members admit they are helpless in managing these prisoners. “It is not easy to handle these people, most HIV prisoners come under the category of injection drug users (IDU).

Criminality rate is also high among them and some even claim to take pride in carrying the virus,” said the Kerala State Aids Control Society (KSACS) district project manager, Ms Binu Punnachalil.

It is usually prisoners in remand and serving a term not more than a month who are lodged in the sub-jail. Members of KSACS find it difficult to conduct blood test on every prisoner since they keep coming and going. KSACS has set up an integrated counseling and testing centre (ICTS) in Ernakulam Sub-jail. The jail superintendent, Mr Varghese, said, “We sent all HIV virus carriers to Viyyur jail last week. As far as I know, there are no HIV positive prisoners here.”

__._,_.___

---------------------------------------------------------------------

__,_._,___

An instance of Eye Opener - HIV testing in Private Labs (News Item in the Mathrubhumi Daily - 5 October 2011)

Dear All,

Please find this news item at http://epaper.mathrubhumi.com/epaperstory_23617-154223312-10/5/Detailsprint.aspx?id=23617&boxid=154223312. For your Information.

with regards,
Ajesh K C

Lions Suraksha
Aiswarya
First Floor, Door No. 23/431(1)
Behind District Hospital
Palayapetta, Palakkad-1
Phone: 0491 2544327

---------------------------------------------------------------------

__,_._,___

Saturday, July 2, 2011

കല്ലെറിയരുത്... കലങ്ങിയ ജീവിതത്തെ (Deshabhimani) Shared by MDNP+, Malappuram

കല്ലെറിയരുത്... കലങ്ങിയ ജീവിതത്തെ
ആര്‍ സാംബന്‍
Posted on: 02-Jul-2011
http://www.deshabhimani.com/newscontent.php?id=30207

വിട്ടുമാറാത്ത പനിയായിരുന്നു ആ ലോറിഡ്രൈവര്‍ക്ക്. 32-ാംവയസ്സില്‍ കടുത്ത ന്യൂമോണിയ ബാധിച്ച് അയാള്‍ മരിച്ചു. ഇത്ര ചെറുപ്പത്തിലേ ഭര്‍ത്താവ് മരിച്ചത് അനിതയുടെ പരിചരണക്കുറവുകൊണ്ടാണെന്ന് വീട്ടുകാര്‍ കുറ്റപ്പെടുത്തി. സഹിക്കവയ്യാതെയാണ് അവള്‍ ഭര്‍ത്താവിന്റെ അകാല വേര്‍പാടിന്റെ കാരണം, ഒരു അപഥസഞ്ചാരത്തിന്റെ നീറുന്ന കഥ വീട്ടുകാരോട് പറഞ്ഞത്. താനും എയ്ഡ്സ് എന്ന രോഗത്തിന്റെ വാഹകയാണെന്ന സത്യവും തുറന്നുപറയേണ്ടി വന്നു. അതോടെ അച്ഛനും അമ്മയും ഒഴികെയുള്ള ബന്ധുക്കളെല്ലാം സ്ഥലംവിട്ടു. ഏക സഹോദരന്‍വരെ വീടുവിട്ടിറങ്ങി.

നാടിന്റെയും വീടിന്റെയും ഒറ്റപ്പെടുത്തല്‍ രൂക്ഷമായതോടെ അനിത രണ്ടുതവണ ആത്മഹത്യക്കൊരുങ്ങി. എന്നാല്‍ , രണ്ടരവയസ്സുകാരിയായ മകള്‍ എച്ച്ഐവി നെഗറ്റീവാണെന്ന് അറിഞ്ഞത് ജീവിതത്തെക്കുറിച്ച് ചിന്തിക്കാന്‍ അവരെ പ്രേരിപ്പിച്ചു. അതോടൊപ്പം തന്റെ ഉള്ളില്‍ വളരുന്ന കുഞ്ഞിനെക്കുറിച്ചോര്‍ത്തും അവള്‍ നടുക്കംകൊണ്ടു. തന്നെ പരിശോധിക്കുന്ന ഗൈനക്കോളജിസ്റ്റിനോട് താന്‍ അണുവാഹകയാണെന്ന വിവരം പറഞ്ഞു. എന്നാല്‍, പ്രസവം അവിടെ നടത്താനാകില്ലെന്നാണ് ഡോക്ടര്‍ മുഖത്തുനോക്കി പറഞ്ഞത്. ഒമ്പതാംമാസം വീടിനടുത്തുള്ള ആശുപത്രിയിലെത്തി. എച്ച്ഐവി പോസിറ്റീവാണെന്ന കാര്യം മറച്ചുവച്ചു. എച്ച്ഐവി പരിശോധനയും ഡോക്ടര്‍ നിര്‍ദേശിച്ചു. എന്നാല്‍ , ടെസ്റ്റ് നടക്കുന്നതിനുമുമ്പേ പ്രസവവും നടന്നു. രണ്ടാമത്തെ മകളും എച്ച്ഐവി നെഗറ്റീവ് എന്നറിഞ്ഞതോടെ, മക്കള്‍ക്കുവേണ്ടി ജീവിച്ചേപറ്റൂ എന്ന നിര്‍ബന്ധബുദ്ധിയായി അനിതയ്ക്ക്. വെല്ലുവിളിയായി ജീവിതത്തെ കണ്ടു. എച്ച്ഐവി ബാധിതരുടെ ക്ഷേമത്തിനുവേണ്ടി പ്രവര്‍ത്തിക്കാനും തീരുമാനിച്ചു. ഇന്നും സുധീരമായി അനിത ജീവിക്കുന്നു.

തളിര്‍ക്കുന്ന രണ്ടു കുഞ്ഞുറോസാപ്പൂക്കളെ ചേര്‍ത്തുപിടിച്ച്... മൂന്നു ദശാബ്ദം നീണ്ട പോരാട്ടത്തിനൊടുവില്‍ എയ്ഡ്സ് വ്യാപനം കുറഞ്ഞുവെന്നാണ് അന്തര്‍ദേശീയ ഏജന്‍സിയായ എച്ച്ഐവി പ്രിവെന്‍ഷന്‍ ട്രയല്‍സ് നെറ്റ്വര്‍ക്ക് അവകാശപ്പെടുന്നത്. എന്നാല്‍ , നമ്മുടെ കേരളത്തിലോ? ദേശീയ എയ്ഡ്സ് നിയന്ത്രണ ഓര്‍ഗനൈസേഷന്റെ 2010 ഡിസംബര്‍ ഒന്നിന്റെ കണക്കുപ്രകാരം കേരളത്തില്‍ എച്ച്ഐവി പോസിറ്റീവുകാരുടെ എണ്ണം 40,060. ഇന്ത്യയൊട്ടാകെ 24 ലക്ഷം എച്ച്ഐവി ബാധിതരുണ്ടെന്നും അവര്‍ പറയുന്നു. ഇതില്‍ , 15 വയസ്സില്‍ താഴെയുള്ള കുട്ടികള്‍ മൂന്നരശതമാനം വരും. ബംഗാള്‍ , ഗുജറാത്ത്, ബിഹാര്‍ , ഉത്തര്‍പ്രദേശ് എന്നിവ ഒരുലക്ഷത്തിലേറെ എച്ച്ഐവിക്കാരുള്ള സംസ്ഥാനങ്ങളാണ്. പഞ്ചാബ്, ഒറീസ, രാജസ്ഥാന്‍ , മധ്യപ്രദേശ് എന്നീ സംസ്ഥാനങ്ങളില്‍ അമ്പതിനായിരത്തിനും ഒരു ലക്ഷത്തിനും ഇടയിലാണ് എച്ച്ഐവി ബാധിതര്‍ .

കേരള എയ്ഡ്സ് കണ്‍ട്രോള്‍ സൊസൈറ്റിയുടെ കീഴിലുള്ള സമഗ്ര എആര്‍ടി ചികിത്സ (ആന്റി റിട്രോവൈറല്‍ ട്രീറ്റ്മെന്റ്) കേന്ദ്രമായ "ഉഷസ്സി"ല്‍ കഴിഞ്ഞ ഏപ്രില്‍ 30 വരെ രജിസ്റ്റര്‍ചെയ്ത എച്ച്ഐവി ബാധിതരുടെ എണ്ണം 14,517 മാത്രമാണ്. ഇതില്‍ 5529 പേര്‍ എയ്ഡ്്സ് ചികിത്സ ആരംഭിച്ചു. ഓര്‍ഗനൈസേഷന്റെ സാമ്പിള്‍ സര്‍വേപ്രകാരം തയ്യാറാക്കിയ എയ്ഡ്സ് രോഗികളുടെ എണ്ണവും "ഉഷസ്സി"ലെ ഔദ്യോഗികകണക്കും തമ്മില്‍ വമ്പന്‍ വ്യത്യാസമാണ് കാണുന്നത്. ഇതില്‍നിന്നുതന്നെ എയ്ഡ്സ് സംബന്ധിച്ച കണക്കിലെ കളി വ്യക്തമാകും. രോഗത്തെക്കുറിച്ചുള്ള ഭയങ്ങളും ഉല്‍ക്കണ്ഠയുംമൂലമാണ് യാഥാര്‍ഥ്യത്തില്‍നിന്നുള്ള ഈ ഒളിച്ചോട്ടം. എച്ച്ഐവി പോസിറ്റീവുകാര്‍ ആദ്യകാലങ്ങളില്‍ നേരിടേണ്ടി വന്നിട്ടുള്ള ക്രൂരതകളുടെ കഥകളാകാം ഇതിന് കാരണം. അതേപ്പറ്റി നാളെ.

http://www.deshabhimani.com/newscontent.php?id=30207

Monday, June 13, 2011

GoI Press Release and Health Minister's Speach - UN High Level Meeting on AIDS 2011

Note: The text of the GoI Press Release is given below, while the original text is available at http://bit.ly/GoI-PR-HLM2011 . The transcript of the speech delivered by Honourable Health Minister Sri Gulam Nabi Azad is available at http://bit.ly/MoH-Speach-HLM2011

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

11-June-2011 20:38 IST

UN Summit Resolves to Set Specific Targets to Eliminate HIV/AIDS

The UN General Assembly meeting for HIV/AIDS has resolved to set specific targets on elimination of HIV/AIDS through reduction in sexual transmission, elimination of mother to child transmission and put more number of patients on Anti Retroviral Therapy by 2015. The member countries adopted the resolution on “Intensifying our efforts to Eliminate HIV/AIDS” at the end of the three day high level meeting at New York last night. The High Level Meeting on AIDS was convened by the Secretary General of UN General Assembly from 8th to 10th June 2011 at New York to charter the future course of action in the battle against HIV/AIDS. More than 3000 delegates from 192 countries attended the three day conference. The delegations included 30 Heads of States and governments, Ministers, senior officials, representatives of International organizations and civil society as also people living with HIV.

The Indian delegation was led by the Union Health & Family Welfare Minister Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad. The other members included - Shri Oscar Fernandes and Shri J D Seelam, Hon’ble Members of Parliament, Shri Sayan Chatterjee, Secretary, Department of AIDS Control, Ms. Aradhana Johri, Additional Secretary, Department of AIDS Control and senior officers from National AIDS Control Organisation. More than a dozen representatives from civil society and NGOs participated in the deliberations.

The major highlights of the resolution are as under:

1. The Heads of State and Government and representatives of States and Governments reviewed the progress achieved in realizing the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and the 2006 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS, with a view to guiding and intensifying the global response to HIV and AIDS by promoting continued political commitment and engagement of leaders in a comprehensive response at community, local, national, regional and international levels to halt and reverse the HIV epidemic and mitigate its impact.

2. The countries recognized that HIV and AIDS constitute a global emergency and pose one of the most formidable challenges to the development, progress and stability of our respective societies and the world at large, and require an exceptional and comprehensive global response that takes into account that the spread of HIV is often a consequence and cause of poverty.

3. The members expressed deep concern that funding devoted to HIV and AIDS responses is still not commensurate with the magnitude of the epidemic either nationally or internationally, and that the global financial and economic crises continue to have a negative impact on the HIV and AIDS response at all .

4. The countries noted that many national HIV prevention strategies inadequately focus on populations that epidemiological evidence shows are at higher risk, specifically men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs and sex workers, and further note however that each country should define the specific populations that are key to its epidemic and response, based on the epidemiological and national context.

5. The countries committed to redouble efforts to achieve, by 2015, universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support as a critical step towards ending the global HIV epidemic, with a view to achieving Millennium Development Goal 6, in particular to halt and begin to reverse by 2015 the spread of HIV.

6. The countries reaffirmed that prevention of HIV must be the cornerstone of national, regional and international responses to the HIV epidemic.

7. The countries committed to ensure that national prevention strategies comprehensively target populations at higher risk; ensure that systems of data collection and analysis about these populations are strengthened; and take measures to ensure that HIV services, including voluntary and confidential HIV testing and counseling, are accessible to these populations so that they are encouraged to access HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.

8. The countries committed to working towards reducing sexual transmission of HIV by 50 per cent by 2015.

9. The countries committed to working towards reducing transmission of HIV among people who inject drugs by 50 per cent by 2015.

10. The countries committed to working towards the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV by 2015 and substantially reducing AIDS-related maternal deaths.

11. The countries committed to accelerate efforts to achieve the goal of universal access to anti-retroviral treatment for those eligible based on WHO HIV treatment guidelines that indicate timely initiation ofquality assured treatment for its maximum benefit, with the target of working towards 15 million people living with HIV on antiretroviral treatment by 2015.

12. The countries committed to promote services that integrate prevention, treatment and care of co-occurringconditions including tuberculosis.

13. The countries committed to remove before 2015, where feasible, obstacles which limit the capacity of low-and middle-income countries to provide affordable and effective HIV prevention and treatment products, diagnostics, medicines and commodities.

14. The countries agreed to use, to the full, of existing flexibilities under the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement specifically geared to promoting access to and trade of medicines; and ensure that intellectual property rights provisions in trade agreements do not undermine these existing flexibilities, as confirmed by the Doha Declaration on TRIPS Agreement.

15. The countries committed to expand efforts to combat tuberculosis, which is a leading cause of death among people living with HIV, by improving TB screening, TB prevention, access to diagnosis and treatment of TB and drug-resistant TB and access to antiretroviral therapy, through more integrated delivery ofHIV and TB.

16. The countries committed by 2015, through a series of incremental steps and through our shared responsibility, to reach a significant level of annual global expenditure on HIV and AIDS, by increasing national ownership of HIV and AIDS responses through greater allocations from national resources and traditional sources of funding including official development assistance.

17. The countries committed to accelerate research and development for a safe, affordable, effective and accessible vaccine and for a cure for HIV, while ensuring that sustainable systems for vaccine procurement and equitable distribution are also developed.

SBS

Video Source: United Nations Webcast

The transcript of the speech delivered by Honourable Health Minister Sri Gulam Nabi Azad is available at http://bit.ly/MoH-Speach-HLM2011

---------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a message from the KeralaAIDS Yahoo Group
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Send Messages to KeralaAIDS@yahoogroups.com
To Subscribe : Send an email to KeralaAIDS-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To Subscribe online : Visit http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/KeralaAIDS/join
---------------------------------------------------------------------

__,_._,___

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

UNAIDS calls for world support ahead of the UN High Level meeting on AIDS

02 June 2011: The UN High Level meeting on AIDS will take place from June 8-10. UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé calls for continued global commitment to universal access to prevention, treatment and care services.

For more information, visit the UNAIDS website

Video Source: United Nations Web Cast