Re: AIDS Prevention in Kerala

[Guest guest]

Dear forum members.

The above referred letter talks very high about the achievements of DfID and

the Kerala authorities in sexual health field which in fact is not quite

correct.

We are working in the field and the ground reality is less than satisfactory.

For the last many months we dont have even condoms to provide to our street

sex workers. All the sexual health projects in Kerala fully depend on the

governmental free distribution source for the condom requirement.

This condom, produced by Hindustan Latex Ltd (a governmental outfit), is of

very

poor quality and even that is not available about half of the days in the year.

The

people talking very high about the Kerala sexual health achievements are people

who believe in the extention of thier contracts as more improtant than making

condoms available to the street sex workers. (forgive me for being blunt) The

DfID

projects in Kerala are perennially hit by financial delay.

Last year over six months our team members worked without money and this year

already 4 months are out and we havent received a single penny.

Many people in the field subscribe the view that the above " high talkers " are

olny a hurdle sitting firmly between the poor tax payers of UK and the street

sex workers of Kerala and in their absence the sexual health scene in Kerala

would have certainly progressed a lot !!

DfID may comment !?

In solidarity

Tito (Advocate)

Director

CSRD

Calicut

Kerala.

E-mail: titothomas@...

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum members,

It is very disheartening to see STD/HIV projects suffering due to delay in

the delivery system or grant of unrealistic budget or inconsistent policies

when on the other hand you find huge sums of money each year remain unspent.

There would be very few projects in the country not suffering from this

ailment. Only recently a project on industries (in Asansol, West Bengal)

which had a potential to become a model for the country was wound up after

two years of operation due to problems at various levels - the donor could

not sustain the funds and the implementing agency was not proactive enough

in making alternative arrangements.

Regards

Dr.A.K.Agarwal

E-mail: drakagarwal@...