National AIDS NGO meet

[Guest guest]

Dear Colleague,

Yuvak Pratishthan in association with AIDS Research Control Centre (ARCON),

International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, Maharashtra State AIDS Control Society &

National AIDS Control Organisation will be organizing a National NGO Meet on

HIV/AIDS at Thane, Maharashtra on 4th, 5th & 6th May, 2002.

HIV epidemic has moved on to affect women in general community. HIV prevalence

amongst pregnant women has increased from 0.8% in 1992 to 2.6% in 1996.

Sentinel surveillance done by NACO from 1998 has shown that HIV prevalence in

pregnant women is around 3.5 to 4.2% in Mumbai.

The meet will emphasize on ‘NGOs’ Role in PMTCT’. This is a residential NGO

meet. The conference will provide a national forum for policy makers, programme

managers and others with an interest in making this world HIV/AIDS free to share

their experience and discuss interventions and strategies to achieve this goal.

Looking at the lead taken by NACO in PMTCT and the global importance of this

issue, we think this will be an important event not to be missed. A provisional

list of the major topics is included in this announcement. This programme

comprises Plenary Lectures, Symposia Sessions, Panel Discussions and lots of

free communications. This will be followed by a Field Visit to some of the

significant NGOs working in Mumbai.

On behalf of the organizers of the conference it is our privilege to invite you

to participate in this National NGO Meet. We hope you will honour this timely

and important meeting with your presence.

Medha Somaiya,

Dr. Subhash Hira

Dr. Subhash Salunke

Topics Included in the National NGO Meet

Symposia Sessions:

1. Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission: Vaccines

2. Antiretroviral Therapy

3. Voluntary Counseling and Testing – Role of NGOs

4. Socio-economic impact of epidemic

5. Community acceptability of preventive Vaccines

Panel Discussions:

1. Vertical Transmission – Counselling and Testing

2. Explaining Risk Vs Benefits of Breast Feeding

3. Clinical aspects of Neonatal / Paediatric HIV

4. Lessons Learnt in PMTCT

5. Improved access to Care & Support

Poster Presentations:

1. Children – innocent sufferers – Morbidity / Mortality

2. Creating an Enabling Environment for Preventation

3. Vaccines Trials

Submission of Abstracts:

All Abstracts will be printed in the Abstract Book. The abstract is to be typed

on plain paper. It should include: Title of the Paper, authors, name of the

Institution/University, objectives of the study, methods, results and

conclusions. It should not exceed 250 words. Please send the abstract on

diskette using Word Star or World Document program through E-mail at

yuvak@... The final date to receive the abstract is 10th April 2002.

Venue:

The National Meet will be held at Rambhau Mhalagi Prabodhini, Utthan, Esselworld

Road, Bhayandar, Dist.:Thane. Tel: (022) 845 0101, 845 0102, 845 0103; Fax:

(022) 845 0106.

E-mail: prabodh@... Web: www.rmprabodhini.org

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