Concerns of PLHA Networks in Relation to TANSACS's Criteria for Application to Manage Community Care Centres (CCCs) in Tamil Nadu

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Dear All, Greetings!

Sub: Concerns of PLHA networks in relation to TANSACS’s criteria for

application to manage Community Care Centres (CCCs) in Tamil Nadu

On behalf of our network members we would like to bring to your notice about the

concerns of PLHA networks from various districts in Tamil Nadu regarding the

Community Care Centre (CCC) selection criteria of the Tamil Nadu State AIDS

Control Society (TANSACS). In NACP-III plan, it has been planned to set up 228

CCCs over the next 5 years in partnership with PLHA networks in all A, B, and C

districts.

Recently, TANSACS has posted an advertisement in newspapers (on 7th December

2007) on its plan of setting up 36 Community care centres through NGOs / CBOs in

various districts in Tamil Nadu. A letter of intent from interested

organizations was also requested. The PLHA networks from various districts in

Tamil Nadu applied for the same.

In that advertisement, selection criteria for identifying potential NGOs/CBOs to

run CCCs were also posted. In direct as well as over phone discussions with

TANSACS Project Director, it was mentioned that NACO’s criteria were followed.

However, we found that the criteria posted in the newpapers by TANSACS were far

more stringent than the guidelines of NACO. Even though in NACP-III it was

mentioned about setting up of CCCs in partnership with PLHA networks,

flexibility or relaxation of the guidelines for PLHA networks were not even

considered or thought about by TANSACS.

In the TANSACS selection criteria for CCCs, it was mentioned that only those

NGOs / CBOs that have ten-bedded capacity or who have provided HIV related

treatment for more than 3 years will be eligible to apply for CCCs. But this

seems to be quite contradictory from what has been mentioned in the NACP-III

document.

In NACP-III document nowhere such rigid criteria were explicitly articulated for

selecting NGOs/CBOs to run CCCs. As a PLHA community representative, and on

behalf of the PLHA networks from various districts in Tamil Nadu, we strongly

believe that the selection criteria prepared by TANSACS are unfair and

discriminatory towards PLHA networks that prevent public-private partnerships

and block greater involvement of people living with HIV in service delivery.

Thus, in essence, though NACO has mentioned in its NACP-III plan that CCCs need

to be set up in partnerships with PLHA networks, the rigid criteria of TANSACS

prevent PLHA networks from working together with the national/state governments

and ignores the potential of PLHA networks to enhance national response towards

HIV epidemic.

Thus, in relation to these concerns, we request TANSACS to review its selection

criteria and include PLHA partnerships in managing CCCs, and work in

collaboration with PLHA networks to contribute to HIV care and prevention in

Tamil Nadu.

We are ready with open mind for collaborations and partnerships with TANSACS /

Tamil Nadu government and we expect TANSACS to reciprocate positively at the

earliest.

Anbalagan

President

MDPS+, Madurai

e-mail: <anbuhiv@...>