Kerala AIDS e Forum

Thursday, November 29, 2012

World AIDS Day 2012 - Saturday, 1 December 2012

On the occasion of World AIDS Day, Kerala SACS has published the following resources on its website:

Banner design for WAD 2012
Backdrop design for WAD 2012
ID Card for WAD 2012
Round Badge for WAD 2012
WAD 2012 - Reading Material
AIDS Day Pledge
Invitation for WAD observation
Circular - Wearing Red Ribbons on World AIDS day

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Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Biker duo embarks on a mission to create awareness on AIDS (ToI: 20 Nov 2012)

Note: Would be useful if someone can please clarify the epidemiology in this - "On why they chose south India, they said 39% people are prone to HIV, the break-up being 21% in Andhra, 10% in Karnataka, and 8% in Kerala."

Biker duo embarks on a mission to create awareness on AIDS

Times of India | 20 Nov 2012

http://bit.ly/T9IT9x

MYSORE: These two youths are on a mission to create awareness among people on HIV/ AIDS, global warming and tiger conservation.

George Daniel, an employee of a Bangalore-based MNC, and Harish, a businessman running a marketing agency, have taken leave for 10 days for a cause. The duo will travel between Mysore and Kanyakumari on a two-wheeler.

"Through the campaign, we want to inspire others to do their bit to society," says George Daniel. The campaign-on-wheels, which began here on Monday, will end in a week's time.

Speaking on how the idea came about, they said: "We had earlier done over 60 street plays in Bangalore and Mysore under Thy Kingdom Foundation to create awareness on HIV/AIDS. This campaign is to take the campaign further."

The duo will tour three states -- Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. On why they chose south India, they said 39% people are prone to HIV, the break-up being 21% in Andhra, 10% in Karnataka, and 8% in Kerala. "Every day, around 1,000 people across the globe get infected by HIV. There are about 3.4 million living with AIDS," Harish said.

They will ride through Kerala state and return through Tamil Nadu on Royal Enfield (350cc) covering 1,600km. "En route, we halt at hamlets, public health centres and schools, where we will distribute pamphlets and interact with the people there on the issues," they said.

On Save Tiger campaign, Harish said it is high time people join hands to save the national animal, which is on the verge of extinction. "Tigers have fallen prey to poachers as its skin and teeth are valuable in international market. Today, we have only 1,400-plus tigers in India," Harish said, adding: "Also, the climate is changing for the worse, and the onus is on us to cut down carbon footprints. Every individual is feeling the heat of global warming."

http://bit.ly/T9IT9x

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Friday, September 28, 2012

Vacancy: State Coordinator (Kerala) in Sangama, Bangalore

Vacancy for State Coordinator in Sangama, Bangalore

State Technical Unit (STU): SANGAMA

Job Location : Kerala, India

Employer : SANGAMA

Application deadline : 30th September, 2012

Contact : Gurukiran, Director: Sangama

Interested candidates can send a brief CV To sangama@sangama.org or sangamavikasa@gmail.com

Reporting and placement

The State Coordinator will be based in the state of Kerala and will be reporting to the Assistant Project Manager and will be closely coordinating with the Compliance Coordinator for the compliance related synergy with programme deliverables.

About Sangama

Sangama is a human rights organization working with Sexual Minorities, Sexworkers and PLHIVs. Our work includes human rights advocacy, support for community-based organizations, community lobbying and campaigns as well as creating publications and other media, working with ICT and fund raising. Sangama is now looking for a Manager- Administration to assist in the running of the office and programmes managed by the Organization. Previous experience or knowledge of issues of sexuality - while an advantage - is not a pre-requisite. Compensation package will commensurate with qualification and experience and will be in accordance with our pay structure for the state-level positions.

The state coordinator is overall in charge of the programmatic achievement in the state and be overall responsible for the programme performance. The prime responsibility is to closely manage the Pehchan program in the state in coordination with Compliance coordinator. The following are the roles & responsibilities:

State Programme Management: Ensuring the quality programme delivery and ensuring the target achievement of the SSRs in the state.

- Contribute to the development and implementation of appropriate strategies for Pehchan Project

- Support the implementation of project plan strategies and budgets (including that of the partner CBOs).

- Support assessment processes within SR and partner CBOs.

- Support the organizational development and capacity building plans of partner CBOs

- Monitor, review and evaluate the progress and impact of capacity building programmes

- Assist in managing any relevant external technical support that may be required for the project and partner CBOs

- Work with other members of the Project team to liaise with partner CBOs in preparing and submitting programme and other reports on a timely basis, as required, for internal and external use

- Provide timely feedback on project reports and other documents relating to partner CBOs

- Support the compilation of information about Pehchan project, including workshop reports, quarterly and annual reports and review and planning documents

- Undertake other responsibilities such as training and advocacy programmes for partner CBOs along with other designated staff

- To provide hand-holding visits to the SSRs and provide on job trainings to ensure the effective implementation of the program.

- To ensure the synergy between TI and TI Plus in the state.

- To ensure the data sharing and synergy of data between Pehchan and SACS data.

- The State Coordinator, Project Pehchan will report to the Assistant Project Manager, Project Pehchan

External Relationships and Networking: To develop appropriate external relationships to foster greater understanding and support for the Pehchan program.

- Establish, maintain and strengthen effective relationships between SR, STU and their lead partners

- In collaboration with the Assistant Project Manager (SR), support programme evaluations strategies and data analysis to provide feedback for programme planning and design

- Support the Assistant Project Manager in the compilation of information from attendance at external monitoring and evaluation initiatives

- Liaison with SACS/TSU/DAPCU & STRC and other stakeholders in coordination and data sharing.

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Testing goes up; positive results come down

HIV cases drop drastically in Kerala

By Amritha K R, ENS – KOCHI 17th September 2012

http://bit.ly/V6crqz

In a development that could bring some cheer to the Keralites, it has been found that the number of new cases of HIV has been declining in the last three years, despite the fact that the number of patients tested has been increasing each year.

According to the figures from the Kerala State AIDS Control Society, the number of persons diagnosed with HIV in its 163 Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres (ICTC) in the state has shown a decline in all the categories.

The total number of males diagnosed with HIV-positive went down from 1,540 in 2009 to 1,402 in 2010 to 1,314 in 2011. The number of pregnant women diagnosed with HIV has seen a steeper decline.

While the number stood at 946 in 2009, it went to 845 in 2010, and further declined to 759 in 2011. There is also a marginal decline in the number of HIV-positive deliveries, from 90 in 2009 to 72 in 2010 to 69 in 2011. It must be noted that the decline comes even while the number of persons diagnosed has been increasing through the same period.

While the number of general clients tested for HIV was 1,32,304 in 2009, about 62,000 more people were diagnosed in 2010. In 2011, the number of persons further increased by 61,000 to 2,55,495.

In the same period, the number of pregnant women tested for HIV increased from 1,07,709 in 2009 to 1,13,852 in 2010. In 2011, it further increased by about 23,000 tests to 1,37,275.

The number of deaths reported in the USHUS-ART Centres, for Anti Retroviral Treatment for HIV-positive persons has also been on a steady decline since 2009. While the number stood at 277 in 2009, it went down to 245 in 2010 and then to 217 in 2011.

But the number of patients started on ART has seen a slight increase in 2011. While it declined from 1,678 to 1,386 in 2010, in 2011 it has increased to 1,403.

Authorities with the Health Department have stated that apart from a few pockets, the number of new HIV cases has been on a decline in the state.

“There are a few border areas like Palakkad where the number is increasing, but otherwise the overall figures on new HIV cases has been on a decline in the state.

“The mass mobilisation from the late 1990s have been chiefly responsible for the control of the disease. In the mid 90s, health experts, including publications like Lancet, had predicted that Kerala would be highly prone to the disease largely because of the huge migrant population of the state.

“But owing to the mass mobilisation in that period, we were able to control the disease in about 10 years. The disease peaked in the late 90s and early 2000s. But of late, the number of reports are on a decline,” said Rajiv Sadanandan, Health Secretary and former National Consultant of the National AIDS Control Organisation.

http://bit.ly/V6crqz

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Monday, August 27, 2012

For awareness, KSACS turns to social media (ToI)

THE TIMES OF INDIA

For awareness, KSACS turns to social media

M K Sunil Kumar, TNN Jul 2, 2012, 04.15AM IST

http://bit.ly/NVHykT

KOCHI: In its efforts to spread awareness against AIDS, the Kerala State AIDS Control Society (KSACS) is planning to take the message on to social networking sites. KSACS has invited firms to design pages to suit social networking sites which will act as a platform for creating awareness about the health issue as well as to share suggestions to reach out to new target groups.

Earlier KSACS was focusing on sex workers, long-distance truck drivers, homosexuals and drug addicts. Now there is shift in target groups. "With those from upper strata of the society becoming new target groups, we have to change the mode of our awareness campaigns. Social networking sites will be a better platform to interact with the new target groups as most of them are active on such sites," said Dr Nitha, joint director, blood safety, KSACS.

KSACS wants to focus on safe methods of sexual intercourse. "Many house boat operators in the state have a list of 20 to 40 women who are willing to offer their 'services'. These women are available at a phone call and are paid well," sources in the tourism sector told TOI.

KSACS is, however, finding it difficult to reach these target groups. There are also plans to seek the support from other departments, including tourism, police, education and social welfare.

KSACS has plans to use voluntary blood donors to fight against AIDS. "We are trying to promote voluntary blood donation on a large-scale,"Vijayan said. Organizations such fans associations of actors also will be involved in the blood donation drive.

http://bit.ly/NVHykT

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[KeralaAIDS] Update: AIDS 2012

Note: Details of three Kerala related abstracts from the International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012) at Washington DC, USA is given below. If you know of more Kerala related work at AIDS 2012, please update. You can see webcast of some of the sessions at - http://globalhealth.kff.org/AIDS2012/

Development of computer assisted self assessment tool on adult sexual behaviour: CARB-ICMR study, Kerala, India

S.K. Harikumar, Study with Adult Population in Trivandrum, Ernakulam and Kottayam Districts

Centre for Advanced Reserach in Health and Human Behavior (CARB), Trivandrum, India

http://pag.aids2012.org/abstracts.aspx?aid=11018

Peer led project management increases outreach and uptake of preventive services among most at-risk populations (MARPs) in Kerala, India

V. Ravi¹, M. Prasannakumar¹, D. Joseph², R. Das¹, B. Savy¹, B. George¹

¹Technical Support Unit for Kerala State AIDS Control Society, Trivandrum, India, ²Kerala State AIDS Control Society, Health and Family Welfare, Trivandrum, India

http://pag.aids2012.org/abstracts.aspx?aid=14184

Polling Booth Survey reveals hidden sexual risk behaviour of female sex workers in Kerala, India

V. Ravi¹, M. Prasannakumar¹, D. Joseph², K. Sudheer¹

¹Technical Support Unit for Kerala State AIDS Control Society, Trivandrum, India, ²Kerala State AIDS Control Society, Health and Family Welfare, Trivandrum, India

http://pag.aids2012.org/abstracts.aspx?aid=11373

Friday, July 6, 2012

Your COMMENTS are INVITED: Draft list of Generic Drugs to be distributed free of cost to all patients at Govt. Hospitals from Nov. 2012 [1 Attachment]

Note: Your comments are invited. Please find the draft list attached or download it from the sources mentioned below, or from the files section of our yahoo group at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/KeralaAIDS/files/Kerala%20Govt%20Documents/ .

The Government of Kerala intends to distribute generic drugs free of cost to all patients at government hospitals. A committee was set up to identify the drugs that must be stocked at different levels. The draft list is attached. The mark in a cell indicates that the drug marked in the row will be provided in the hospital in the column.

Comments and suggestions on the list are welcome. Please forward the comments and suggestions to the Principal, Medical College, Trivandrum at principalmct@gmail.com or to Dr. K.P. Aravindan at kparavindan@gmail.com

Source: http://dhs.kerala.gov.in and http://www.arogyakeralam.gov.in

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Attachment(s) from Info Desk

1 of 1 File(s)

draft_generic_drug_list_kerala_020712.pdf

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