UN SPECIAL SESSION ON HIV/AIDS

[Guest guest]

Gujarat AIDS Awareness and Prevention (GAP) Unit of ISRCDE

The National Pre-UNGASS meeting

GAP applauds the decision by the UNGA to hold an historic session on

HIV/AIDS. The special session will catalyze the urgent effort by the

people and nations of the world to agree on key priorities and effective

approaches, and to mobilize the resources needed to defeat the disease.

This has once more endorsed the fact that the AIDS crisis is not only a

health problem, it is a broad development issue and must be acknowledged

and addressed in all its complexity. HIV/AIDS should be an integrated

part of development planning -as it has become ‘most formidable

challenge’, of all challenges of our time.

GAP also appreciates the endeavour of NACO and UNAIDS India, to bring

the delegates together here in this pre UNGASS meeting.

In general GAP appreciated the points covered in the draft paper with

subsequent modifications based on the Break The Silence electronic

correspondence.

GAP has the following points to highlight at this meeting:

Prevention :

Apart from the routine prevention work, development and delivery of new

prevention technology, like female condom, microbicides and vaccines

must be a priority. Recognising the effective prevention and care

strategies will require increased availability of access to different

resources.

Care and access to medicine

Prevention and care are inseparable, the government must commit

themselves to ensuring health care, access to treatment which at present

is inaccessible, there should be more focus on this aspect.

There should be enough funding to provide HIV/AIDS treatment and there

should be a clear identified sub-account for future purchase and

delivery of all these products including HIV vaccine, whenever it is

available. Access to drug sector has become all the more easier as CIPLA

has come out with an incredible offer.

With the accessibility and availability of products, it is also

necessary to draw attention on the delivery infrastructure and the need

to train health care workers.

Access to the affordable products, are not enough. There is the need to

have a constant education programme for the health care providers. New

health care products should be developed to make them easier and

consumer friendly. People also need counselling support to help them

continue to take their medications properly so to ensure that the

treatment is effective.

Access to accurate and understandable information is essential and will

also help develop a broader understanding of diseases, their

transmission and about staying healthy. However people must have access

to the resources that enable them to put information into practice and

here NGOs/CBOs can play the pivotal role.

As soon as people have more access to information and drugs , there

will be a change in accepting the disease, there will be decrease in

the discrimination and stigmatization and it is necessary that this

congenial atmosphere should be supported by voluntary counselling and

testing.

Intersectorial collaboration and partnership

GAP emphasizes a focused and amicable collaboration/partnership

between government, NGOs/CBOs and private sectors. This will surely

ensure the fruitful prevention and care/treatment programmes that will

reach the people who actually suffer and are affected.

Funding

A better funding mechanism will need to be worked upon, to increase and

ensure future access to all who need them. The need of funding is surely

there for R & D sector, but adequate funding should be available for

building local capacity and infrastructure. By establishing a

credible funding mechanism, an enabling environment and by pro active

cooperation between countries, governments, NGOs and international

agencies, the process of developing microbicides, female condom, drugs

and vaccines can be greatly accelerated so that global efforts can

respond better to the urgency of the HIV epidemic.

Radium

E-mail: <radium@...>