Tamil Nadu: Consultative meeting to Scale up HIV programs

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Press release

Jan 19, 2005

From Indian Network for People Living with HIV/AIDS (INP+)

INAUGURATION OF THE TWO-DAY ‘STATE-LEVEL CONSULTATIVE MEETING’ TO SCALE UP

HIV/AIDS PREVENTION AND CARE PROGRAMS IN TAMIL NADU

Organized by: Indian Network for People Living with HIV/AIDS (INP+)

Supported by: AIDS Prevention and Control Project (APAC) – VHS-USAID

Indian Network for People living with HIV/AIDS (INP+) was founded in 1997 by 12

people living with HIV from various states in India and has completed seven

years. Over these years, INP+ has become a strong national movement

representing the collective voice of 5.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS

(PLHA) in India.

In collaboration with the state level network - Tamil Nadu State Network of

Positive People (TSNP+) - INP+ is organizing a two-day state level consultative

meeting to develop policy and programmatic recommendations to scale up HIV/AIDS

prevention and care programs in Tamil Nadu on Jan 19 and 20, 2005, with the

support of AIDS Prevention and Control Project (APAC) – VHS - USAID. Various

district level positive people networks, psychosocial support providers,

researchers, health care providers, program implementing agencies, TNSACS,

APAC, FHI, and key non-govermental organizations (NGOs) participate in this

meeting.

The meeting was inaugurated on Jan 19, 2005, at the Hotel Marina Towers in

Chennai. Ms. Kousalya Periasamy, Joint-Secretary, INP+, and President, Positive

Women Network (PWN+), welcomed the participants. Dr. Krishnamurthy, Project

Director, APAC/VHS, then briefed the participants about the objectives of this

two-day workshop which are: analysis of the current situation of HIV/AIDS

prevention and care programs in Tamil Nadu; and finding out possible ways to

improve and scale up HIV/AIDS prevention and care programs in Tamil Nadu. The

other personalities who were present in the inauguration meeting were – Mr.

Haynes, US Consulate General; Dr. N.S. Murali, Honorary Secretary,

VHS/APAC; Dr. Friedman, CDC-GAP project; Mr. Elango, Treasurer, INP+;

and Ms. Latha Mani, UNICEF.

Delivering his inaugural address, Mr. Haynes pointed out the need to

avoid thinking that HIV is an issue of ‘them’ vs. ‘us’. “Mandela’s son dies of

AIDS and he admitted that publicly. Who would have thought that from an elite

family as that of Mandela could be infected with HIV? He shared that openly

with the public breaking the stigma associated with that disease. Mandela was

engaged in HIV awareness activities even before he came to know of HIV

infection in his son. This means we longer should see issues of people living

with HIV as issues of them vs. us.”.

“We need to put quality at the forefront in HIV/AIDS prevention and care

programs” said Dr. Friedman, CDC-GAP, during his felicitation address.

Pointing out the lack of specific tool to measure quality of life of people

living with HIV in India, Friedman called for the need to have good monitoring

and evaluation component in HIV/AIDS prevention and care programs and mentioned

that CDC would support such initiatives.

Sharing the experiences of involving people living with HIV in their prevention

programs with school headmasters, Ms. Latha Mani, UNICEF, told that “when

people living with HIV shared their experiences and problems, Headmasters came

to realize the issues faced by people living with HIV and it made a great

impact” and wanted other agencies to involve positive speakers’ bureau in

HIV/AIDS awareness programs for various populations.

During his speech, Dr. N.S. Murali, VHS/APAC, called doctor communities to

eliminate stigma and discrimination in the health care system and serve people

living with HIV in a better manner. He also pointed out the need to provide

comprehensive care for people living with HIV with focus on treatment of

opportunistic infections and observed that antiretroviral therapy should be

made available but not to be seen as a cure.

Following the inauguration, panel discussions and group discussions on the

following topics were conducted.

Panel discussions:

- Role of positive people networks in prevention programs

- Care and Support programs in Tamil Nadu

Group discussions:

- Focused interventions among vulnerable groups

- Counseling services in Tamil Nadu

- Role of health care providers in prevention of HIV/AIDS

- Access to antiretrovirals (ARVs) and adherence

- Opportunistic infections

- Indigenous Medicine

- Issues of HIV-positive women and children.

The recommendations made by the various groups will then be discussed, compiled

and sent to the policy makers and the government of Tamil Nadu.

Contact Person:

Ms. Kanmani C

Indian Network for People Living with HIV/AIDS (INP+)

Flat No.6, Kash Towers, # 93, South West Boag Road,

T.Nagar, Chennai-600017.

Phone: 044-24329580, 24329581

Fax:044- 24329582

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