Concerns regarding change in policy of treatment counseling centers

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

In a sudden development the treatment counseling centers, which were functioning

from the ART centers and giving peer counseling and was instrumental in managing

the client load of the ART center (as all ART centers do not comply with the

NACO approved staff strength), were ousted.

The GFATM IV initiative under Access to care and treatment project, launched

these Treatment couseling centers.

Because of this sudden, unplanned ouster of the Treatment counseling center, the

authorities once again acted against GIPA and it is sad that the People living

with HIV/AIDS and accessing the ART centers will no more have access to peer

counseling.

Also because of the under staffing at almost all ART centers, the quality of

service will suffer.

TANSACS should at least give opportunity to those Peer counselors who were

working with Treatment counseling center at the ART center so that the clients

do not suffer. All the more reason to continue the services of these peer

counselors is that they know the case history of each and every person accessing

the ART centers.

INP+ and PWN+ should take this up and advocate for GIPA at the service providing

places. Ignoring GIPA is not healthy for the programs in the long run.

This will only set a wrong precedence for the country.

Dr.S.Raman.

e-mail: <tenthplanet@...>