US-CDC to help Orissa fight AIDS

[Guest guest]

US agency to help Orissa fight AIDS

Express News Service Last Updated : 10 Nov 2008 11:37:56 AM IST

BHUBANESWAR: The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) of the US is all

set to help Orissa in its fight against HIV/AIDS.

CDC which has entered into a pact with Orissa State AIDS Control

Society (OSACS) will help build capacity of service providers,

strengthen laboratory quality management system, while improving

surveillance, monitoring and evaluation care and support. The centre

is a major operating component of Department of Health and Human

Services of the US.

As per the understanding between the two agencies, Lepra Society will

act as partner and support the OSACS in its capacity-building plans.

One of the major components of the support will be increasing the

number of integrated counselling and testing centres (ICTCs) across

the State. Currently, 112 such centres are in operation barring the

highly-prevalent Ganjam where such centres have been established at

block levels. The ICTCs are now confined to the district and sub-

divisional headquarters.

The State agency cannot set up more centres than the number approved

by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) since it's dependent

on the latter for funds.

Ho wever, the CDC would help the OSACS to open more ICTCs in the

State. ``We want centres to be set up at the level of primary health

centres (PHCs). This support will come in handy,'' said an officer.

Besides, the cooperation will solve the problems of sourcing

laboratory technicians (LTs) for ICTCs. In Ganjam and its adjoining

areas, getting LTs conversant with Telugu has been a problem for the

OSACS.

CEO , Lepra Society, Dr Jagannath Rao said, Lepra will coordinate

activities with the State agency and LTs would be provided to all

ICTCs of the southern districts of the State so that people get

testing service in time. It would be achieved by outsourcing LTs from

neighboring Andhra Pradesh, he said.

According to Rubina Imtiaz, Country Director of CDC-India, the

understanding will help delivery of services on the doorsteps of

People Living with HIV/AIDS.

Project Director of OSACS Parameswar Swain said cooperation of such a

nature with CDC and Lepra Society will help service delivery on

HIV/AIDS and prompt other states to follow suit.

The OSACS has also concluded an agreement with Indian Oil Corporation

(IOC) and Unicef. Under this MoU, display boards with messages on

HIV/AIDS will be put up at retail outlets of IOC across the State.

IEC materials on HIV/AIDS at all the retail outlets will also be

available. The staff of IOC would undergo training for this purpose.

Unicef would support technical assistance and act as a coordinator

between IOC and OSACS.

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[Guest guest]

Dear Ediotor AIDS INDIA,

Thanks for all the information on HIV/AIDS provided through group.

Sir, recently there was some news item mentioned below " US-CDC to help

Orissa fight AIDS " which was posted on AIDS group and other leading

news papers in Orissa.

This is to kindly inform you that the news Published was incorrect, the CDC

India team just visited Orissa to understand the epidemic in

Orissa and explore the areas of work in near future. No formal MoU is signed. We

will be grateful if you could kindly publish/circulate (with in AIDS INDIA

group) the letter given by OSACS to CDC providing clarifications.

Thanks very much for your kind consideration in advance.

Have a great day

With Best Regards

Srilatha Sivalenka

Scientific Affairs Specialist, CDC-GAP Hyderabad

9949512014 (M)

e-mail: <ivalenkaS@...> wrote: