Feasibility of International HIV Testing day.

[Guest guest]

Feasibility of International HIV Testing day.

The 18th UNAIDS Program Coordinating Board (PCB) meeting, held in

Geneva, 27-28 June 2006 is exploring the possibility of declaring an

international HIV testing day.

While reviewing the Outcome of the high level UN meeting held in

New York during early June, 2006- moving the global response forward

(Agenda item no 2), at the specific request of the UNAIDS PCB

representative from the United States of America, " ---- the PCB

take note of the idea for an international HIV testing day as a way

to promote greater access to voluntary HIV counselling and testing,

organised with the participation of civil society, especially

networks of people living with HIV, and request UNAIDS to analyse

the potential impact of an implementation issues relating to an

international testing day " .

While addressing the UN High level meeting in New York in June the

U.S. first lady Bush, called on nations to adopt an

International HIV Testing Day. The US delegate's intervention at the

UNAIDS PCB meeting in Geneva was a follow up to the US first lady's

call.

UNAIDS is guided by the Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) which

serves as its governing body. The PCB has representatives of 22

governments from all regions of the world, the ten UNAIDS

Cosponsors, and five nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), including

associations of people living with HIV/AIDS. The PCB holds a regular

session once a year in Geneva and in alternate years holds thematic

sessions outside Geneva, as requested by the members. UNAIDS is

supposed to submit a feasibly report at the next PCB meeting to be

held in Lusaka, Zambia in December 2006.

As, UNAIDS is obliged to implement the decisions of the PCB, there

is an urgent need for wider consultation on the relevance and

feasibility of an International HIV testing day.

The FORUM members are invited to comment on the following issues.

1) Will an International HIV testing day promote greater access to

Voluntary HIV counselling and testing?

2) Considering the high levels of HIV/AIDS related stigma and

discrimination, prevails in many countries, how feasible is to

promote a universal testing day?

3) Are the civil society, particularly the networks of people living

with HIV/AIDS, willing to collaborate with such an initiative?

4) What are the potential impacts of such a policy on the current

HIV responses?

5) What are the implementation issues to be taken into

consideration, while promoting an International HIV testing day?

The summary of the discussion will be forwarded to the UNAIDS for

consideration. Each and every contribution will be acknowledged,

unless the contributors would like to remain anonymous.

The discussion will remain open till July 31st 2006

Thank you for your attention

Joe

Moderator,

AIDS INDIA eFORUM

/

[Guest guest]

Dear Members

I would like to respond to the issues raised by the Moderator.

1) Will an International HIV testing day promote greater access to

Voluntary HIV counselling and testing?

Yes. All commemorative days make some impact in the society. If people of high

status/political leaders/administrators/celebrities come forward on that day (If

it is declared), many vulnerable/suspecting people will follow suit. Keeping

secrecy of the test results need to be ensured

2) Considering the high levels of HIV/AIDS related stigma and

discrimination, prevails in many countries, how feasible is to

promote a universal testing day?

There could be logistical and administrative issues as people in large numbers

could come out on that day. If many people vlounteer on that day and the secrecy

of the results is ensured, stigma may not be a issue.

3) Are the civil society, particularly the networks of people living

with HIV/AIDS, willing to collaborate with such an initiative?

Yes. Most of the affected people would wish to perevent this menace as they

suffer from it. Hence they would extend their support. Today the whole world is

worried about this problem. The world would unite to fight this out

4) What are the potential impacts of such a policy on the current

HIV responses?

Existing figures could be a tip of the iceberg. If more and more people are

tested +ve as a result of this initiative, the states should be called for

treatment preparedness and meeting the challenge

5) What are the implementation issues to be taken into

consideration, while promoting an International HIV testing day?

The answers to the above questions are implied here

With warm regards

Mr. Josy K.

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