Clinton Foundation to Train Nurses in HIV/AIDS Care

[Guest guest]

Press Release: Announcement of Plan to Train Nurses in HIV/AIDS Care

and Treatment Across India

February 19, 2006, New Delhi, India

President Bill Clinton and the Government of India announced today a

plan to train nurses in AIDS care and treatment through a

partnership established between the National AIDS Control

Organization of India (NACO) and the Clinton Foundation. President

Clinton and Ms. Sujatha Rao, Additional Secretary & Director General

of NACO, made the announcement at the All India Institute of Medical

Sciences (AIIMS) where they met with people living with HIV/AIDS and

Indian health care workers.

The Clinton Foundation, under a Memorandum of Understanding with the

Government of India that was signed in September 2004, is assisting

NACO in the nationwide scale up of the Government's free

antiretroviral treatment program. This announcement represents the

latest in a series of initiatives undertaken by the Clinton

Foundation and NACO and will be focused on delivering a training

program on HIV/AIDS care and treatment for nurses in Government AIDS

treatment centers, and the faculty of nurse training institutions

across the country.

Speaking today in New Delhi, President Clinton said: " Nurses are a

critical link in the delivery of care and treatment for people

living with HIV. Nurses not only deliver clinical care needed to

keep people alive, but they also act as counselors and play an

important role in reducing the myths, stigma & discrimination

surrounding this disease. I am honored to be working with the

Government of India and look forward to expanding our partnership

with them by giving a greater number of nurses the skills and

knowledge they need to deliver high quality care and treatment for

AIDS patients. "

Since May 2005, when President Clinton last visited India on behalf

of his Foundation's HIV/AIDS Initiative, the number of people

receiving care and treatment through the Government's free national

AIDS program has increased from 7,000 to over 25,000, and is

targeted to reach 100,000 patients in 2007. Despite these successes,

serious challenges remain, and it is estimated that over 5 million

people in India are infected with HIV. In order for enrollment in

its antiretroviral treatment program to increase to planned levels,

the Government recognizes the importance of providing nurses with

the training they need to support the patients in need of care and

treatment.

During today's announcement, Ms. Rao commented: " As our ART program

expands, nurses will need additional training to meet the needs for

counseling, reporting and proper referral. The efforts of NACO and

the Clinton Foundation will address these needs and enable the

Government to continue delivering high quality care to Indians

living with HIV/AIDS. "

Over the next few months, NACO and the Clinton Foundation will

develop the training materials for this program and subsequently

roll out the training program. The curriculum will cover a variety

of topics, ranging from the basics of HIV transmission to the basics

of anti-retroviral treatment and will place significant emphasis on

counseling.

BACKGROUND ON THE CLINTON FOUNDATION HIV/AIDS INITIATIVE

Since 2002, the Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative has been

assisting countries in implementing large-scale, integrated care,

treatment and prevention programs. It partners with 20 countries in

Africa, the Caribbean and Asia. Individual governments take the lead

and the Foundation provides technical assistance, mobilizes human

and financial resources, and facilitates the sharing of best

practices across projects. The Foundation also provides access to

reduced prices for HIV/AIDS drugs and diagnostics to over of 50

countries.

In addition, the HIV/AIDS Initiative launched in April 2005

pediatric and rural programs. The pediatric program aims to assist

countries implement widespread treatment for children living with

HIV/AIDS, beginning with a program to donate ARV treatment for

10,000 children in the program?s first year ? approximately doubling

the number of children on treatment in developing countries outside

of Brazil and Thailand. The rural program endeavors to extend access

to high-quality care and treatment to people living beyond the reach

of traditional healthcare services; in Rwanda, the rural program

partners with Partners In Health.

The HIV/AIDS Initiative relies on hundreds of part-time and full-

time volunteers; there are presently more than 300 people in

developing countries and the U.S. working for the Initiative.

For his leadership in the fight against HIV/AIDS, President Clinton

has been honored with the Jimmy and lynn Award for

Humanitarian Contributions to the Health of Humankind from the

National Foundation for Infectious Disease as well as the 2005

Pasteur Foundation Humanitarian Award.

Read more about the HIV/AIDS Initiative.

BACKGROUND ON THE NATIONAL AIDS CONTROL ORGANISATION

Established in 1992 as a national response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic,

the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) is the nodal

organisation for HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment programs

in India. An integrated multi-sectoral programme in is in operation

with several developing partners like the World Bank, DFID, USAID,

BMGF, CF etc.