NACO outsources HIV treatment

[Guest guest]

AIDS control organisation outsources treatment

Sanchita Sharma.New Delhi, December 6, 2006

For the first time, the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) has

outsourced its voluntary testing and counselling centres to an

international organisation. The US-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation

(AHF) has signed a memorandum of understanding with NACO to scale up

the government's AIDS treatment programme in Assam.

AHF president Weinstein said, " According to UNAIDS, India now

has the highest number of HIV-positive people worldwide-nearly 5.7

million-living with the disease. However, with a population of over

1.1 billion, India's HIV prevalence is still relatively low. This new

partnership will attempt to break the chain of new infections by

ushering more HIV positive individuals and those already living with

AIDS into care and treatment. "

" In Assam, the AHF will help NACO expand and scale up AIDS treatment

and care, including providing anti-retroviral treatment to people

living with HIV/AIDS, " said Dr Chinkholal Thangsing, Asia-Pacific

bureau chief of the AHF.

According to the MoU, the AHF will take over the management of the

voluntary testing and counselling centres in Guwahati and Dibrugarh

and set up a new centre in Silchar within six months. " Each centre

will be manned by a minimum of seven people, including two doctors

and a counsellor. The AHF will not only train them and pay their

salaries but will also provide them with CD-4 count machines, "

Thangsing added.

In a first, the AHF plans to involve Assam's Network of Positive

people (ANP+) to encourage more people to get treated.

" ANP+ has 250 members and they will help by referring new cases to

the AHF and following up on those who stop treatment. There is no

shortage of free medicines in the government centers and hospitals,

but people stay away for fear of stigma and discrimination.

Unfortunately, these still exist in some places, including in clinics

and hospitals, " Jahnabi Goswami, president of ANP+, told HT from

Guwahati

NACO officials say involving the NGO sector will bring more people

within the fold. " We can treat only those who come seeking treatment.

Since stigma and ignorance keeps many people away, we need NGOs to

play an activist role and raise awareness and encourage people to

come to these centres and get tested and treated, " a NACO official

said.

Other international organisations partnering with NACO include the

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Clinton Foundation.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1861195,0050.htm