Averting HIV infection among injecting drug users in Kerala. Who is responsible for lost opportunity?

[Guest guest]

Averting HIV infection among injecting drug users in Kerala. Who is responsible

for lost opportunity?

The latest sentinel report in Kerala shows that in Cochin 25% of the IDUs

(N=172) are already HIV positive, where as in Calicut, where CSRD has initiated

Needle and Syringe Exchange Program (NSEP) about four years ago, the prevalence

is 1.9% (N=209)

The excuse that NGOs elsewhere in Kerala are reluctant to take up NSEP is less

than acceptable since KSACS is the only body which has the mandate and hence

duty bound to do it. While so many poor societies across the world are unable to

take up meaningful HIV prevention programs due to sheer lack of resources, KSACS

is sitting on boxes of money given to it for this purpose. If NGOs are hesitant,

KSACS should show the guts to do it by itself.

Moreover small towns like Kottayam are having only “few IDUs” and hence

starting a project is not “cost effective” is foolishness to say the least. The

health care scenario in the State, inter alia, is also unique and hence KSACS

should not try to imitate from other parts of the country, based on which NACO

develops guidelines. Kerala should develop its own style of prevention programs.

If HIV prevalence among the female sex workers in Kerala remains very low

(0.32% N=1250) the main credit goes to the NGOs and when some of them got into

stagnation KSACS discontinued them.

Fair enough! But instead of saying thank you to them KSACS told the media that

they were “either useless or corrupt”! This is in store for the remaining NGOs

also !!!

On a side note, KSACS,s intolerance towards criticism is the first hurdle it has

to overcome !

But, averting HIV infection among injecting drug users in Kerala, who is

responsible for lost opportunity?

Tito (Adv)

Director,

CSRD

Calicut

e-mail: <csrd1995@...>