AIDS projects in Mumbai under threat

[Guest guest]

AIDS projects in Mumbai under threat

By: Shibu and Krishna Kumar. October 23, 2003: At a time when

municipal hospitals in Mumbai are reporting increasing incidence of

HIV infection, the AIDS control programme in the city seems to be in

jeopardy.

Mumbai, with around 2.5 lakh cases, has the highest number of HIV

infected in India. The mandate of Mumbai District AIDS Control

Society (MDACS), the nodal agency which coordinates AIDS control

programmes in the city, gets over in March 2004. With the end of its

term, the city will also lose the Rs 7 to Rs 8 crore put aside

annually under Phase II of the National AIDS Control Organisation

(NACO) programme funded by the World Bank.

With Delhi-based NACO yet to announce phase III of the programme,

NGOs in the city have hit the panic button. MDACS is now looking for

donors to fund its programme. It is angling for a share of the $100

million pie announced by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for

AIDS control in India.

" There is always an inherent danger with a programme depending on

foreign aid about what will happen when the money runs out, " said Dr

I S Gilada of the People's Health Organisation.

Dr Alka Gogate, project director of MDACS, however, dismisses talks

of a dead end. " It is true that phase II of NACO is winding up in

2004. We are trying to extend the programme by at least a year, since

some of the programmes started late. "

Dr Gogate, however, admits MDACS is looking for donor agencies. At

present, it receives Rs 6 crore to Rs 8 crore from the World Bank,

besides Rs 1 crore from UNICEF.

" The funding that was announced by the USAID has been delayed for

various reasons, but we are sorting it out, " adds Dr Gogate.

Meenakshi Datta, NACO project director said, " We are working on a

regulatory framework for phase III of the project. " She however,

refused to guess when the programme would start.

Dr Gogate is optimistic. " Funding for AIDS will never stop as long as

the disease exists. After phase II, it is likely some of our

programmes may be modified, upgraded or dropped altogether. "

According to Dr Gogate, Mumbai requires around Rs 14 to Rs 20 crore

for its AIDS control programmes. Will Mr Gates oblige?

AIDS cases between 2000 and 2002

Hospital 2000 2001 2002

Sion hospital 111 382 404

KEM NA 432 1030

Nair 1207 1110 1249

JJ 1316 1394 NA

Kasturba 219 146 59

Rajawadi 14 22 39

MAA 63 54 19

Copper Hospital NA 7 76

Mumbai District AIDS Control Society

MDACS was established in 1998 by the Brihanmumbai Municipal

Corporation (BMC) for the control of HIV/AIDS in Mumbai. It has

implemented around 24 projects through 13 city-based NGOs, working

with various high-risk groups including prostitutes, truckers, drug

users, homosexuals and migrant labourers. MDACS also funds around 25

voluntary counselling and testing centres in the city.

The programme concludes in March 2004.

Municipal hospitals dealing with AIDS

Municipal hospitals in Mumbai have registered an increase in the

number of AIDS patients being reported. Project Director of MDACS

Alka Gogate however said AIDS cases have registered a significant

decline.

" Most of these people have had HIV 10 to 12 years ago and it's only

now that the virus has been discovered. According to our surveys, the

number of patients suffering from the disease has registered a slight

decrease, " she said.

AIDS and the city

There are 3.5 million estimated cases of HIV infections in India.

Mumbai, with a population of over 12 million people, has around 2.5

lakh cases of HIV. Of these, 54 per cent are among prostitutes, 14

per cent among STD patients, 39 per cent among Intravenous Drug Users

(IVDU), 16 per cent among homosexuals and .75 per cent in the low-

risk group.

NGOs funded by MDAC

* Prafulta works with prostitutes

* AIDS STD and Health Action works with prostitutes

* Vijay Krida Mandal works with prostitutes and truckers

* People's Health Organisation with prostitutes

* Nagari Seva Prabodhini works with Bar Girls, prostitutes

* The Humsafar Trust works with homosexuals and truckers

* Mukti Sadan Foundation with drug addicts

* DAI Welfare Society works with eunuchs

* Rashtra Swasthya Prabodhini work with truckers

* saheb Jhute Prathistan work with truckers

* Jagruti Kendra Centre works with migrant labourers

* S N S Foundation works with migrant labourers Sarvodaya Hospital

works with Care and Support

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