Re: Village Health Workers - Get rapid HIV Testing Kits across India

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

Re: /message/8980

It's oversimplistic to say that ANMs should do the HIV test. HIV is not just

equivalent to a Hb test, it has tremendous implications.

 

What is a person diagnosed as HIV positive just comits suicide or goes into

depression in the absence of suport. With lack  of counselling for being

mentally prepared, for risk behaviour reduction, and lack of privacy in smaller

places leading to stigma  and discrimination- the move may turn out agains tthe

interests of the programme and PLHIV.

 

Moreover the over-burdened health worker is not able to do justice to the

mammoth of Vertical National Programmes whose name mutates every couple of years

by the time he/she is familiar with the name of the programme. Expecting the

health worker to imbibe conselling skills and then handle the HIV

testing/screening would be unrealistic in my opinion. (unless an aditional ANM

is given at each sub centre).

 

In ICTC we are giving results on same day within 2 hours (except for equivocal

ones). What is required is to have counsellors upto PHC level - who can counsel

patients on all health promotion issues (including HIV testing) and the test

could be upsacled/ decentralised to this level.

Having a simple apropriate technology is good, but need to consider other

issues too. Testing is not an end in itself- ART acess to those detected

positive is a bigger issue - People may simply refuse to travel 200 km to visit

tertiaty centres where it takes 3-5 days to get all tests done and then get the

medicine (sepecially in remote and difficult areas) and the purpose will be

defeated unless an integrated approach is undertaken including increasing access

to ART simultaneously to at least Block level.

 

The pilot project results needs to be carefully evaluated in various socio

cultural settings.

Dr Rajesh Sood

Centre for health Promotion,

Palampur, HP India

e-mail: drrksood@...

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

Re: /message/8980

I CONCUR WITH THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY Dr. Sood. The ANMs

are already overloaded with their routine work in the PHCs. The

additional responsibility to attend the testing for HIV-AIDS by ANMs

will not serve the purpose.

The ANMS WORK IN TESTING ALONE WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM The pre test

counselling and post test counselling of the cases and further follow up will

become lesser importance due other statuory work given to her.

A ANM exclusively appointed for this work will give good result for

diagnosing,counselling and further follow up. NACO may fund for this

appointment and closely monitored by the SACS concerned,

Yours sincerely,

T.K.Satagopan

Consultant

Mobile 9444182732

e-mail: <tk_satagopan@...>