Report of the National AIDS Conference in Mumbai: January 17 - 19, 2003

[Guest guest]

National Conference on HIV / AIDS

Report

'National Conference on HIV / AIDS' was organised by Yuvak Pratishthan in Mumbai

during January 17 - 19, 2003 at Hotel Renaissance Convention Centre, Powai,

Mumbai.

The main theme of this conference was 'Prevention and Care: Key to Success' To

achieve the goal we have to decide strategy. It is explained as - 'A Roadmap

towards Complete Awareness till 2007'. Dr. Subhash Hira, Director ARCON, Dr.

Suniti Soloman, Chairman, YRG Care, Dr. Ashok Rau, Freedom Foundation, Dr.

Jaynarain, WHO, Ms. Anjali Nayyer has supported in technical details in planning

and executing the conference. Few international expertises are - Dr. Taweesap

from Thailand, Dr. Louis Excel, Dr. Ying Ru Lo from China, Dr. Deshratna

Asthana from Miami and others were present to guide the conference.

National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and Ministry of Health & Family

Welfare, Govt. of India supported the conference whole heartedly. All the State

AIDS Control Societies are very supportive to send the participants. The 250

delegates have participated from 22 different states and union territories with

help of SACS and NACO. The participation of government officials is also

admirable by all due to their dedication and concern about the cause and their

helpful nature. " It is very difficult to identify GOs and NGOs separately. " A

professor commented in those days.

The Conference was inaugurated at the hands of Mr. Manohar Joshi, Hon. Lok Sabha

Speaker on 18th January. He said, 'It is our top priority to prevent more from

being infected with HIV virus.' His main focus was about prevention and

contribution of society for this cause. The inauguration session was the crown

of the conference. About 2500 delegates, full of enthusiasm were responding

spontaneously and supporting all the occasions with claps and cheers. The Chief

Guest published the souvenir on that day-Abstract Book on National Conference on

HIV/AIDS. Few activist in Mumbai and Maharashtra were felicitated on this

occasion Dr. Bora said - I have to wait till 20 years to get appreciated and now

I got motivation for 20 more years.

On the same day a Special Address were given by Shri Shatrughan Sinha, Hon.

Union Health Minister, Govt. of India for that programme. 600 College Students

from Mumbai & Maharashtra Universities and Maharashtra Medical Universities have

participated. The NSS Students from different Universities are actively working

in the University Stop AIDS programme under National Service Scheme. They all

participated with their unit Incharge Professors and Principles as well as

different hospitals and Medical Colleges. The Oath was taken during Oath

Ceremony by Mr..Shatrughan Sinha & Mrs. Poonam Sinha. This programme was real

beauty of the conference. Students were sitting down and associated with the

speakers on dais literally by conversational means Mrs. Poonam Sinha addressed

the audience and ended up with small poem - 'You do what you can' which ends

with the note - 'You do that you must'. Her speech has inspired all the

delegates present for the session. Shri Shatrughan Sinha is continued to had

heart to heart discussion with his informal speech and famous posters for which

he is appreciated for all his life in his film career. He used all of his fame

and ability for the noble cause of AIDS Awareness Programme. In this college

students were awarded for their excellent performance in poster making and

street plays. It was excellent example of collaboration of AIDS activists in

present and in future.

Important Features :

3200 participated in inaugural ceremony at the conference.

1000 Delegates, around 250 AIDS Activists were present for both the days.

NACO Officials - Dr. P.L. Joshi, Ms. Meenakshi Datta Ghosh, Dr. Pratik Kumar,

Ms. Sadhana Raut, were present at the conference.

Counsellors, Representatives from NGOs, AIDS Societies, State AIDS Control

Societies participated

35 Post Graduate Students were present.

125 T.B. Doctors and Chemists took part in the conference and expressed their

views on both the days.

400 Students, Youth Activists actively participated during conference.

Representatives from 20 State AIDS Control Societies

International Organisation like WHO, IAVI, UNICEF, UNAIDS were actively

participated.

Total 20 sessions conducted on both the days, in which Noble Ideas were received

during each session.

Ms. Laxmi Tripathi (Dai), Mr. Dhirendra Rawat (APWHA), Mr. Ashay Kurnurkar

(PPF), Mr. Vijay Nair (UDAN PLUS), Ms. Suganta (SIAAP), Ms. Geeta (Sahara), Mr.

Ricky Tombing (DNP PLUS), presented their views on behalf of positive NGOs.

4 Religious Leaders - Father Calyx, Brahmachari Kaiwalya Chaitanya, Maulana

Razabullah & Godavariben, were present during an Open Session - 'Meet the

Leaders' - appealed all religious leaders to come on common platform to fight

against AIDS.

Various Political Leaders from different parties - Mr. Manohar Joshi (Shivsena),

Mr. Semmalai (AIADMK), Mr. Shatrughan Sinha (BJP), Mr. Vinod Tawde (BJP), Mr.

Oskar Fernandes (Congress) were present during conference and expressed their

views.

10 International level scientists were expressed their views.

19 Street Plays were played on both the days

75 Posters presented to create awareness among students and motivated them for

social work.

In all the National Conference on HIV / AIDS was a great event which thought of

5 years in future and motivated hundreds of social worker for this cause. It

was also successful in networking of all the factors from 'People Living with

HIV / AIDS' till 'Most Vulnerable Age Group of Youth' and Scientist from

Clinical as well as Research Field, Social Scientists like Religious Leaders.

Without political will the conference could not be successful. Mr. Oskar

Fernandes, Mrs. Blossom Fernandes, Mr. Shatrughan Sinha, Mrs. Poonam Sinha, made

it apolitical venture. Mr. Oskar Fernandes spoke in his valedictory speech that

this event will be model for forthcoming activists from this field on national

and international level.

Mr. Kirit Somaiya, MP & Convenor of this conference, had objective about this

conference which was declared in Barcelona XIV International AIDS Conference,

" We have to go from Denial to Determination and Clinical to Social " . This was

achieved by this conference due to efforts of all the organizing committee

members and volunteers.

Medha Somaiya

Organising Secretary

E-mail: <yuvak@...>