Unrealistic TI program targets: The reason for forced testing

[Guest guest]

Dear All

It appears that unrealistic program targets set for Targeted Interventions (TI)

are the root cause of recurring forced HIV testing on vulnerable populations by

the program implementing NGOs.

Force testing is not acceptable, it is a human right valuation and even our

national guideline do not permits. People who Use Drugs (PUD) from the North

East India has raise this issue in the past that 100% testing and having testing

as performance indicator will have a sever effects.

We (PUDs) have apprehension that many of the Most-At-Risk Population (MARP) will

be force or  to undergo for testing by the project implementers because of the

performances indicator.

What actually are they (WHO, UNAIDS and NACO) mean by 100% or 80 % testing,

(even though it do not have the word mandatory) for me it means mandatory or

compulsory testing and not voluntary.

 

We may inject drugs but that does not necessary means that we share needles and

have sex without condom therefore, why should we undergo testing repeatedly.

We also understand early detection and treatment is very essential, but in the

rural area especially from Myanmar/Burma international border, the nearest ICTC

centre is nine hour walk and cannot return the same day. Then to the ART centre

nine-hour walk plus 17-hour bus journey, and it will cost at least Rs 1500/- for

travel (one way) and what about their stay and food in Kohima (ART side).

Testing may be important but without treatment facilities, it is useless, so

kindly make treatment easy accessible everywhere in the country and control

stigma and discrimination than automatically testing will go up, we do not need

push testing.

 

This is right time to respond to the intruders/opportunist lets strike the

hammer while the iron is hot otherwise these kind of people will take us all

(MARP) for granted and design the same program in NACP IV.

We are not guinea pigs just because we use drugs or do sex. I wanted request all

concern people, that force testing should not narrow down to only the chief

functionary or implementing agency, but the WHO, UNAIDS and NACO officials also

should held responsible and accountable as they are the one who design the

program, putting testing as a criteria to provide service and testing as an

performance indicator.

Lastly, for metro city and rural area should have different parameter in

implementing criteria as well as monitoring indicators.

 

Abou Mere

President

North East India Drug Users forum

e-mail: <abou_mere@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear all,

Re: /message/11978

Targeted Interventions (TI) programme targets on testing is one of the most

critical parameter in reversing the epidemic without which the person who has

infected and has high risk behaviour will continue to infect others.

Yes, we agree that it is bit difficult to strike the target but we need to look

at this from a different perspective to understand why a person raises an issue

that ‘he is being pushed for testing’ which would eventually will make us to

revisit the following areas

(bottom of the pyramid).

Have we defined the physical geography right for our intervention?

What is the current status?

Are we targeting the right people for the intervention?

What is the transition dynamics taking place both on TG and location which needs

corrective measures from our end?

Are our interpersonal communicators/health educators are capacitated on

counselling procedures to make the person with high risk behaviour to realize

that she/he might be at risk?

What is our targeting efficiency and what have we done to increase the same

consistently?

Yes, we agree that treatment is most important but suggesting that addressing

control stigma and discrimination is not at all the way to increase the

clients to go in for testing and furthermore ˜stigma and discrimination comes

only after the person has been identified as positive and there is no

correlation that it will work the other way around.

If we look into the above said areas consistently we can definitely overcome

forced testing issue.

TI implementation is critical in reversing the HIV/AIDS epidemic!

Regards

Lincoln

Abraham Lingan

e-mail: <lingan_abraham@...>