‘HIV Medics’ Training Program from IGNOU and AHF

[Guest guest]

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and AHF/ India Cares

Partner in Groundbreaking AIDS Care Training Initiative in Delhi

NEW DELHI (July 11, 2008) Indian, US Partners to Train Community Members as `HIV

Medics'—Healthcare Workers in the Fight against AIDS HIV Medics are

paraprofessional healthcare workers trained to assist clinicians in the

provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for people living with HIV.

India's Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and AIDS Healthcare

Foundation (AHF), the US' largest HIV/AIDS organization, which operates free

AIDS treatment clinics in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean and Asia,

(including two clinics in India—Delhi and Mysore) are pleased to announce the

formation of a new partnership through which AHF—India Cares will work closely

with the University to promote and implement training and education programs for

people working in the field of HIVAIDS.

The partners will work together on educational training programs such as AHF's

innovative HIV Medics program, through which AHF medical staff train lay people

to work as treatment extenders in the burgeoning, yet often understaffed field

of HIV/AIDS care in Africa and elsewhere in the developing world.

" It is a great privilege for us to join together with Indira Gandhi

National Open University to bring AHF's HIV Medic education and

training program to India, which is world repute in providing quality

education through distance learning " said Dr. Chinkholal Thangsing,

Asia/Pacific Bureau Chief for AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which

operates AHF—India Cares.

" This new partnership marks the first time an AHF HIV Medics training program

will take place outside of Africa, and we are deeply honored that India will be

among the first countries in the Asia Pacific region to benefit from this

groundbreaking program.

The need for access to HIV/AIDS medical care and treatment throughout India

remains great; we sincerely believe this collaboration will help ease that

burden by training qualified HIV Medics to assist in the delivery of care and

treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS. "

AHF's HIV Medics are community health workers who perform routine, but

time-consuming tasks such as taking a patient's blood pressure and

medical history, thereby freeing up valuable time for doctors and

nurses to see and treat many more patients. Since 2004, AHF has

conducted four HIV Medic training programs; two each in Uganda and

Zambia, training over 100 HIV Medics.

The formal signing of the memorandum of understanding between IGNOU

and AHF/India Cares took place in a ceremony yesterday at the Embassy

of the United States, American Center Office, Kasturba Gandhi Marg,

New Delhi, India.

" IGNOU has achieved the distinction of becoming the largest University

in the world with 1.8 million students on its rolls " said Prof. V. N.

Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice-Chancellor, Chairman, Distance Education

Council, IGNOU. He had all the praise for AHF India Cares

collaboration with IGNOU and extended support to HIV Medics programme

to integrate with the programmes offered by IGNOU.

Under this MoU, IGNOU and AHF India Cares would jointly prepare the curriculum

and provide the training on a face to face mode. IGNOU would prepare a module on

`Social, Ethical and Educational aspects pertaining to HIVAIDS' while AHF would

share their expertise on `Medical and Clinical aspects including hands on

training'.

" Service to people at large is service to the nation. IGNOU is

fortunate to associate with AHF India Cares who are providing access

to medical support, education and training to the needy. By

collaborating with AHF India Cares the objective of IGNOU to reach the

unreached will be fulfilled to some extent, " said K. Laxman,

Registrar, IGNOU after signing the MoU.

" The establishment of this new HIV Medic training partnership in India

is truly a major milestone for both organizations, " said Adair,

PA-C, AHF Director of Global Training, who has conducted and overseen

all previous Medic Training programs for AHF in Africa and will also

lead the first Medic Training program in India later this fall.

" This collaboration should also serve as a beacon of hope for many people living

with HIV/AIDS in India, as it will ultimately allow medical providers—doctors,

nurses, and physicians assistants—the ability to expand and scale up the

provision medical care and services, including the delivery of lifesaving

anti-retroviral treatment to people living with HIV/AIDS in India. "

" Bringing the HIV Medics program to India should ultimately help usher

more HIV positive Indians and those already living with AIDS into care

and treatment, " said Weinstein, AIDS Healthcare Foundation's

President. " We look forward to our collaboration with our partners at

Indira Gandhi National Open University and thank all who were involved

in securing this exciting new training partnership. "

HIV Medics are paraprofessional healthcare workers trained to assist

clinicians in the provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for people

living with HIV. AIDS Healthcare Foundation first developed the

program to address the shortage of healthcare workers in

resource-constrained countries.

HIV Medics provide initial patient screenings, complete patient

histories and refer patients to physicians for physical exams and

initiation of ART. They also draw blood, dispense medications and

provide medication adherence counseling and HIV testing.

Shifting of these aforementioned tasks to the HIV Medics frees up physicians,

nurses and other healthcare professionals for more complex tasks and enables

them to see more patients. These factors contribute to the overall goal of

increasing the number of people receiving ART and improving the quality and

continuity of care.

The HIV Medic training is designed for students with no prior medical

training or experience. The training program is intensive and covers

12 weeks of full-time study. HIV Medic students must have a

high-school equivalent education, read and write English and be able

to commit to the full 12 weeks of training in order to enter the

training program. In addition, HIV Medics are often HIV-positive

themselves.

According to a United Nations-sanctioned report that was released by

Indian Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss in July 2007, India is

thought to have nearly 2.47 million living with HIV/AIDS today. With a

population of over 1.1 billion, India's HIV prevalence is still

considered relatively low; however only a small fraction of those

people living with the disease have access to lifesaving care and

medical treatment. It is expected that the HIV Medics trained by this

partnership between AHF/India Cares and Indira Gandhi National Open

University will help lessen the burden on Indian care providers and

increase the numbers of those on care and treatment throughout India.

# #

About AHF: Additional information is available at www.aidshealth.org

About AHF/India Cares In India, under the aegis of AIDS Healthcare Foundation,

AHF/India Cares was established to carry forward the mission and goals of AHF

and implement programs as AHF/India Cares. AHF/India Cares and operates

antiretroviral treatment programs in Indian cities of New Delhi and Mysore.

AHF provides ART treatment and care services to 4,423 people infected with

HIV/AIDS throughout the country. The AHF India Cares Clinic in New Delhi, the

Centre of Excellence, opened in October 2006, and offers testing, psychosocial

support and ART services, including pediatric treatment. The goal of the center

is to provide ART services to 2,000 patients over a period of five years.

CONTACTS:

INDIA

Dr Chinkholal Thangsing

Asia Pacific Bureau Chief

AIDS Healthcare Foundation

S-7 Panchsheel Park,

New Delhi 110017

+91 11 41745541/42

+91 11 41745543[Fax]

+91 98 18270687

chinkholal.thangsing@...

K. Laxman

Registrar

Administration Division

Indira Gandhi National Open University, Maidan Garhi,

New Delhi 110068

INDIA

+91 11 29532098 [work]

+91 11 26493982 [res.]