AIDs in India Satellite at Barcelona on 7th July

[Guest guest]

AIDS in India

An Official Satellite Workshop

Of the Indians, By the Indians, For the Indians

Friends and Supporters of India are Welcome.

Date: 7th July, 2002; Time: 17-19 hours

Venue: Hall 5 : Room 8

Theme: " UNITY IN DIVERSITY TO FIGHT ADVERSITY "

Organised by:

Peoples Health Organisation (India)

Supported by: The World Leaders in Generic anti-retrovirals

Cipla Ltd., Hetero Pharma, Aurobindo Pharma Ltd. and Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd.

The AIDS scenario in India has assumed dangerous proportions. Some projections

suggest that HIV infections in India will rise to almost 25% of global numbers.

The rise in HIV/AIDS infections demands priority in treatment accessibility,

affordability and availability in addition to preventive interventions.

Ironically, in the recently set-up Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria, out of

the US$ 600 million distributed, in the first round, India received nothing for

its AIDS projects. A visible structural socioeconomic impact is not very far.

While adequate steps to extend care to the PLWHA are urgently required, the need

for providing access to ART cannot be over-emphasised. Only a holistic,

multi-sectoral approach, using successful intervention strategies and an

effective coordination between NGOs and government along with community

mobilisation can avert the crisis.

Peoples Health Organisation (India) has been among the first Indian NGOs,

spearheading the fight against AIDS since 1985 and is largely responsible for

bringing India on the AIDS Control Map of the world. PHO initiated networking

with NGOs in 1989 and had organized 'World Congress on AIDS' in Mumbai in 1990

with 624 delegates. PHO also initiated networking in Asia by establishing Asian

Solidarity Against AIDS (ASAA) in 1991 and organised five international

workshops in conjunction with mega-AIDS Conferences in Florence (1991),

Amsterdam (1992), Berlin(1993), Yokohama(1994) and Geneva(1998). Unfortunately

since 1994, the international conferences have become a biannual affair making

the ASAA meets infrequent. Secondly, most delegates attending these workshops

were from India or with an interest in India which resulted in India dominating

the discussions. It was an uphill task to get appropriate inputs from other

Asian countries. Hence, starting with Durban 2000, we decided to have the

workshop exclusively on 'AIDS in INDIA'.

The socio-cultural diversity, a unique feature of India, presents a major

challenge, which is compounded by illiteracy(48%), poverty(GNP US$ 350),

ignorance(more than 50% people are still unaware of HIV/AIDS) and a large

population(one billion). With the theme " UNITY IN DIVERSITY,TO FIGHT THE

ADVERSITY, PHO has organised the Workshop on 'AIDS in India' on 7th July, 2002

at Barcelona, as an official satellite meet.

Dr. Stefano Vella Dr. I. S.

Gilada

President

Secretary General

International AIDS Society (IAS) Peoples Health

Organisation (India)

Chairperson

Chairperson

Objectives:

l To assess current HIV scenario in India, without getting bogged down with

unhealthy and unending debate on the jugglery of numbers

l To assess its impact on women and children and play an effective advocacy role

in PMTCT

l To discuss cost-effective intervention strategies

l To prioritise HIV management and access to care in India and discuss 'Patents

vs Patients' issues

l To formulate strategies on ART, support services, rehabilitation of AIDS

widows & orphans

Topics:

Inaugural Speech: Dr. C. P. Thakur, Union Health Minister, Govt. of India

HIV Update: NACO representative

Expectations vis-a-vis AIDS in India: Gatell, (Spain) Co-chair: IAC

Issues related to HIV Management: Dr. Stefano Vella (Italy), President IAS

Patents versus Patients: Dharmesh Shah, Hetero Pharma

Therapy Interruptions: Dr. Hans Jager (Germany)

Improving access to HIV Medicines: Sandeep Juneja, Ranbaxy, India

Importance of India-specific Vaccine Studies: Dr. Jay Levy (USA)

Networking, Advocacy and Policy: Prof. Mark Wainberg (Canada) ex-President, IAS

Equitable distribution of GFATM: Dr. Salim Habayeb, Public Health Specialist, WB

Socio-Cultural Constraints: Mr. Sunil Dutt, M.P., President, PHO (India)

Women & Child Issues: TBA

Suggestions invited for more speakers from India

Registration for the workshop will be free, but restricted to the delegates of

XIV International AIDS Conference.

Registration may be done via mail, fax, e-mail and on the spot.ALL ARE WELCOME

Peoples Health Organisation (India)

Municipal School Building, J. J. Hospital Compound,

Mumbai - 400 008, India.

Ph. : 91-22-3719020; Fax: -3864433

E-mail: ihoaids@...; Website: www.aidsasia.info

Local Address: (6 July - 13 July)

Dr. I. S. Gilada

Hotel Turin, Pintor Fortuny, 9

08001 Barcelona, Spain

Ph.: 93 302 4812