INVITATION: West Bengal Sexual Health Conference

[Guest guest]

INVITATION

4th West Bengal Sexual Health Conference,

Science City Auditorium, Kolkata, 3 rd,4th, & 5th September, 2003.

Organized by West Bengal State AIDS Prevention & Control Society, In

collaboration with Dept. of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of West

Bengal & National AIDS Control Organisation, INDIA, Supported by

Sexual Health Resource Centre and DFID, INDIA.

The theme for the Conference " BUILDING A MULTI – SECTORAL RESPONSE TO

THE HIV EPIDEMIC THRO' SHARING " .

Conference Deadlines: For Registration: 18th August, 2003, Abstract

Receipt Date: 18th August, 2003, Application for Scholarship: 14th

August, 2003 Conference Venue

Dear Participants,

On behalf of the Health & Family Welfare Dept., Govt. of West Bengal

and the West Bengal State AIDS Prevention & Control Society it gives

me great pleasure to invite you all for the 4th Annual Sexual Health

Conference at Kolkata.

With the advent of HIV/AIDS, the country faces one of its most

serious health challenges and unless adequate capacity is not

developed within the health system, especially among human resources,

it would be extremely difficult to combat the HIV epidemic. As the

country grapples with the impact of the epidemic it can at best only

hope to slow down its exponential growth because some of the main

determinants of the epidemic such as the staggeringly large size of

migratory and mobile populations, poverty and increasing urbanization

would exist in India for quite some time.

The eastern region of India faces a particularly high probability of

a HIV epidemic due to the risk that migratory and mobile populations

are putting themselves to and the rise in intravenous drug use. The

states of Manipur and Nagaland states already have a highly prevalent

HIV epidemic. So it becomes imperative that eastern states especially

West Bengal take urgent adequate steps to confront the HIV epidemic

by building up an alliance of all resources – human or otherwise.

West Bengal has a low HIV epidemic – despite the existence of the

causative factors probably due to the innovative and active

prevention work in and around Kolkata. Significantly, it has also

contributed to the creation of the targeted intervention a template

from one of its successful HIV prevention projects.

I sincerely hope that adequate partnerships would be created among

the participants and with other like minded people who would not only

be more knowledgeable but also keenly interested in taking up

prevention and care and support work. Despite any misgivings about

Kolkata city I would like to reassure that the conference management

and the traditional hospitality of the Kolkata people would leave

fond memories among all the participants.

I look forward to welcoming you all to Kolkata.

Asim Barman, IAS

Prin. Secretary Health & Family Welfare

Govt. of West Bengal &

President WB State AIDS Prevention & Control Society

E-mail: secretariat@...

Fax : +91-33-2448-3038

Registration is necessary for all delegates. Last date for

registration is 18th August, 2003. No fees are required to be paid. A

form for registration is provided for separately. An acknowledgement

would be sent by fax/mail/e-mail. It is recommended that the

registration be done at the conference web-site itself at the

address: www.wbsapcs.org/conference/registration

Inquiries:

The Conference Secretariat

West Bengal State AIDS Prevention & Control Society

Bhawani Bhawan Complex,

31/1, Belvedere Road, Alipore

Kolkata – 700 027, W Bengal, India

E-mail: secretariat@...

Fax : +91-33-2448-3038