Re: Time for midcourse corrections : AIDS policy in India

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

Since when did, as the author puts it, " World Bank ordained goals " , become the

benchmark of success? Anyways ... the point I wish to bring to your kind

attention are:

1. The stark reality of not being able to get sufficient data to assess

prevelance.

2. The unbridled optimism of the penetration of the healthcare system, its

delivery mechanism and the magical disappearance of the disease upon " completing

the NACP-III(?) " .

3. The government of India's shameful behavior in maintaining a ridiculous low

per capita healthcare budget even before HIV/AIDS came to the scene. My estimate

of the moneys from private foundations such as " of Bill Gates " and others will

hardly be able to provide a mere 3 months of treatment to the current official

estimates of HIV/AIDS. How can the government assure itself that this matter is

taken care of just because a few NGOs have begun working on this.

Awareness is not merely, " knowing that there is a disease condition called

HIV/AIDS " . Thanks to the extensive media campaign everybody knows about HIV/AIDS

and very little else - be it responsible behavior, methods of transmission, that

the " at risk " group being " monogamous women " , some notion of prevention and ...

maybe someday meagre understanding of treatment.

And what happenned to TB? Has it gone into hibernation now that the " big

brother " is here?

I fervently pray that " ... into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my

country awake " , a freedom from HUNGER (and) Disease.

Chakri Iyyunni

E-mail: chakri@...>