Lessons from Australia to combat AIDS

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Lessons from Australia to combat AIDS

OUR CORRESPONDENT

Jamshedpur, May 2: Doctors of various private and government medical

hospitals in the city were today students of various facets of

highly active anti-retroviral therapy (Haart), an effective

treatment for HIV patients, during a two-day programme on HIV/AIDS

clinical care, which kicked off at the Centre for Excellence today.

Organised by the state chapter of the Confederation of Indian

Industry (CII), in association with Australia-India Council (AIC),

the two-day programme is being attended by over 25 doctors.

Giles and Padiglione, both noted doctors from

Australia, has been roped in by the organisers to teach the doctors

the various concepts involved in the treatment, including topics

like the transmission of HIV.

Giles and Padiglione also elaborated on the best practises used

globally for the treatment of HIV patients. They also highlighted

the principles and guidelines for the anti-retroviral therapy and

its benefits.

According to Giles, numerous cost-effective drugs for treating HIV

patients are available aplenty with the advancement in medical

health care. She also suggested a right combination of drugs for the

HIV patients to help them lead a healthy and normal life.

Notably, for the last three years, doctors from Australia have been

coming over to India and visiting various cities to hold discussions

and exchange views on the latest development in the field of HIV and

AIDS. The exchanges are conducted under the aegis of the Australia-

India Council.

Giles informed that the objective of organising such a programme is

to enhance the skills of the doctors so that they can treat the HIV

patients effectively.

" There are several drug manufacturing companies, which have come up

with drugs for the treatment of HIV patients. But most of the

doctors are not aware of the right combination of drugs to be given

to the patients. During the two-day programme we will be giving

necessary tips to the doctors on HIV treatment, " said Giles.

Convenor of AIDS group, Tata Steel, H.K. Gardin, who was invited to

address a joint session with the Australian doctors, made an

alarming revelation.

According to Gardin, during January 2005 and March 2006, 217 new

cases of HIV were reported in the steel city alone

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