Concerns about district level PLHIV Network in Villupuram, TamilNadu

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum

On behalf of the Villupuram district level PLHIV network (DLN), I am posting

this mail to raise our concerns against Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society

(TANSACS).

Our District level network (DLN) was established in the year Feb, 2006. It is

the only registered DLN in Villupuram reaching to more than 1500 PLHIV in and

around Villupuram.

In August 2009, our DLN was awarded a DIC by TANSACS and for the past 8 months “

till March 2010 - we haven't faced any problem from TANSACS but from April we

have started facing problem.

And this was due to raising our voice (concerns) before TANSACS project director

for the meaningful involvement of PLHIV networks in programs and policies.

Following this, we had a dharna in front of TANSACS office on May 7, 2010

demanding for rights-based approach to HIV including scaling-up of access to

free second-line ART.

I was been coordinating this Dharna and this sparked the anger of TANSACS

project director and other key stafs such as the Deputy Director, CCC/DIC,

TANSACS and Joint Director, Finance, TANSACS.

I (and our DLN) was been targeted from that point onwards the Deputy Director,

CCC/DIC, TANSACS has produced several false allegations against my organization

including creating a negative image, as of our DIC was not functioning well.

Today as a result of these false allegations we are about to loose the DIC that

was awarded to us.  This targeted approach by TANSACS key officials is shameful.

I don't worry about loosing a DIC however TANSACS instead of strengthening the

capacities of communities, targets individuals in communities who voice their

rights.

If you look back, in Jan 2008 our state level PLHIV network “Tamil Nadu

Networking People Living with HIV – has succeeded advocating with NACO and

TANSACS for the provision of additional 19 drop-in centers under NACP-III in

Tamil Nadu.

Our DIC is one among the 19 DICs. I want to make a special note that the

attitude of the current Project Director of TANSACS was not community-friendly.

In a discussion with him, he said " I don't want to do things as you say, I know

what to do, you people don't instruct, I have my officerss we know what to do " .

If this is the attitude of TANSACS project director then rights-based approach

to HIV is questionable.

Regards

D. Nandha Kumar

President

Villupuram District HIV Positive Society (VDS+)

Mob: 8012504279 

e-mail: <gomezcbee@...>