???********************************************************** SAATHII Electronic News Letter HIV NEWS FROM INDIA SOURCE: www.hinduonnet.com, The Hindustan Times, The Hindu, www.naknews.co.in, The Indian Express, www.ndtv.com, www.livemint.com and The Times of India. Posted on: 29/08/2007 COMPILED BY: Randhir Kumar, B. Vilasini, and L. Ramakrishnan SAATHII Chennai office. Note: this compilation contains news items about HIV/AIDS published in the Indian media, as well as articles relevant to HIV/AIDS in India published internationally. Articles in this and previous newsletters may also be accessed at http://www.saathii.org/orc/elibrary =============================================================== 1. Small business enterprise project for HIV positive women launched.(India) www.hinduonnet.com, August 22, 2007. http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/003200708211521.htm 2. Cipla sends legal notice to US NGO on AIDS drug issue.(India) The Hindustan Times, August 22, 2007. http://www.hindustantimes.com/Redir.aspx?ID=3e91e979-624f-4b5a-a0bd-394365ed4055 3. Study calls for efforts against human trafficking and HIV.(Chennai) The Hindu, August 23, 2007. http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200708222178.htm 4. Massive screening for HIV taken up.(Pondicherry) The Hindu, August 23, 2007. http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/22/stories/2007082252000300.htm 5. West Bengal Scholar paddling his bicycle to spread HIV/AIDS awareness.(Sri Nagar) www.naknews.co.in, August 23, 2007. http://naknews.co.in/newsdet.aspx?q=9403 6. Folk artistes will be performing in villages and towns, subtly promoting awareness about AIDS/HIV.(Bangalore) The Hindu, August 23, 2007. http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/24/stories/2007082450770300.htm 7. Punjab networking of positive people: A platform for HIV-positives.(Ludhiana) The Indian Express, August 24, 2007. http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=252471 8. Japanese PM's wife visits HIV-positive kids.(New Delhi) www.ndtv.com, August 24, 2007. http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070023506 9. HIV test not mandatory for govt job.(India) The Hindustan Times, August 25, 2007. http://www.hindustantimes.com/Redir.aspx?ID=fb1505bf-a8cc-4c96-9ac1-fc566de9c497 10. HIV positive baby on sale,but no takers.(India) The Hindustan Times, August 26, 2007. http://www.hindustantimes.com/Redir.aspx?ID=716ffc89-2f64-4980-88e5-a86e7bb1ee71 11. Abbott Labs' bid for anti-HIV drug patent to face stiff challenge.(New Delhi) www.livemint.com, August 26, 2007. http://www.livemint.com/2007/08/27001549/Abbott-Labs8217-bid-for-ant.html 12. HIV+ and orphaned: Children no one wants.(New Delhi) The Times of India, August 26, 2007. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/HIV_and_orphaned_Children_no_one_wants/articleshow/2313020.cms =============================================================== 1. Small business enterprise project for HIV positive women launched.(India) www.hinduonnet.com, August 22, 2007. http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/003200708211521.htm India: To help women living with HIV lead a life of dignity and economic independence, the UNDP Regional HIV and Development Programme and Thailand's Population and Community Development Association (PDA) have launched a "Women and Wealth (WWP)" in Cambodia, China and India, according to a press release from UNDP. Under this project, groups of women living with HIV run small, market-savvy social enterprises, with technical and marketing support from PDA, UNDP, international agencies, and the private sector. PDA provided the HIV positive women with business management training to assist them in developing business plans before establishing their specific enterprises. "Access to credit is a human right, as is the right for women living with HIV to be economically secure and independent. The beauty of this project is the economic empowerment it provides for the women, individually and collectively, and using a new and fresh approach through the strategy of business to provide them with business skills that they can use in overcoming the barriers associated with living with HIV." said Mr. Mechai Viravaidya, Founder and Chairman of PDA. "As I have often said, to combat the issue of HIV we all must think out of the box." As part of WWP, the Cambodian Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS (CCW) of the Cambodian People Living with HIV/AIDS Network (CPN+) has set up a garment manufacturing business called "Modern Dress Sewing Factory" (MDSF) employing 30 HIV positive women. In India, the Positive Women Network (PWN+) has established a conceptual design and printing business called "Social Light Communications" (SLC) employing 2 HIV positive women and 2 men. In China, Colorful Clouds Yunnan, a female wing of AIDS Care China - a network of people living with HIV - has set up "Positive Candle Works," (PCW) a 100% beeswax candle manufacturing factory employing 4 women. Each business will be marketed under the common "WE" brand (Women Empowered), with the aim to gain market access for their products and services both locally and internationally. "This project is a demonstration that we can be economically independent if given a level playing field and a little support. We would request private sector companies to extend preferential trade offers with us," said Ms. Srim Phan of MDSF. "Our main appeal is to garment exporters and importers, and apparel industries," she adds. "We are not looking for charity, but partnerships for empowerment. If we can access even a miniscule fraction of the market, it can make a big difference to our lives," said Ms. P. Kousalya, Client Services Manager for SLC and President of PWN+. "The process of learning news skills and working together with groups of HIV positive women in other countries is very powerful and empowering. WWP has helped us regain self-confidence and dignity, which were shattered after the diagnosis of HIV infection," said Ms. Li of Colorful Clouds Yunnan. Besides providing regular income and greater economic security for women living with HIV, this project is also focused on establishing a sustainable socially focused business. The WWP also aims to reduce stigma and discrimination, improving self-esteem and camaraderie among the women, and ensuring ARV adherence. For example, in Cambodia, all the employees of MDSF are on ARV and the new safe working environment allows them to support each other and take their ARV together. When each business is generating sufficient revenue, the net profits will be pooled into initiating a micro-credit program specifically designed for people living with HIV and based on PDA's "Positive Partnership Project (PPP)." The PPP was devised by PDA and has been highly successful in Thailand in providing economic opportunities for people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS. It is economic empowerment as a means to reducing stigma and discrimination. The PPP has been selected for the 2007 UNAIDS Best Practice publication series. "In a rapidly feminizing epidemic, the socio-economic independence of women is essential ??? it enables women to cope with the devastating impact of the epidemic on their family life and sources of livelihood. Smart skills and regular incomes can reduce situations of HIV-vulnerability and helps positive women live with dignity and security," said Ms. Caitlin Wiesen, Regional HIV/AIDS Team Leader and Programme Coordinator, UNDP RegionalHIV and Development Programme. =============================================================== 2. Cipla sends legal notice to US NGO on AIDS drug issue.(India) The Hindustan Times, August 22, 2007. http://www.hindustantimes.com/Redir.aspx?ID=3e91e979-624f-4b5a-a0bd-394365ed4055 India: Cipla sends legal notice to US NGO on AIDS drug issue. Drug maker Cipla has sent a legal notice to US-based NGO AIDS Healthcare Foundation that had alleged the company was selling its HIV drug 'Viraday' at a higher price in the domestic market. Cipla Joint Managing Director Aman Lulla confirmed the development but did not give any detail. "Yes, we have sent a legal notice to AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) and our response to AHF's allegations remains unchanged," Lulla said. The NGO had earlier brought out advertisements in various newspapers alleging overpricing of 'Viraday' by Cipla. Taking cognizance over the advertisements, the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission yesterday directed the Director General of Investigation and Registration (DGIR) to probe the issue and submit a report within 60 days. The NGO had alleged that Cipla is exporting its HIV/AIDS drug Viraday to African countries at Rs 21,200 per patient a year, while the same for Indian patients cost over Rs 54,000. "It is shocking that AIDS Healthcare Foundation is spending lakhs of rupees on advertisements in various newspapers distorting facts and making baseless allegations," Cipla had said in a statement on August 9. While questioning the agenda of the NGO, Cipla had said while it has not sold Viraday in Africa, the company sold other anti-AIDS drugs to National AIDS Control Organisation in India at the same prices as in Africa. =============================================================== 3. Study calls for efforts against human trafficking and HIV.(Chennai) The Hindu, August 23, 2007. http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200708222178.htm Chennai: A new independent regional research study commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with financial support from the Government of Japan has revealed an alarming trend of trafficking of girls and women and HIV infection in South Asia, according to an UNDP press release. South Asia accounts for more than half of the 300,000 to 450,000 people estimated to be trafficked in Asia each year. The study, which was launched here today, has found that a large number of those at the risk of being trafficked in South Asia are young girls and women and they also run the risk of getting infected with HIV. The highest reported incidence of this double burden is in Nepal, Bangladesh and India, the study said. Factors such as gender inequality, violence and lack of economic opportunities for women increase their risk to both trafficking and HIV. Younger girls are at higher risk of trafficking as well as HIV. According to recent studies by Harvard School of Public Health; in Mumbai one quarter of the trafficked individuals tested positive for HIV while in Nepal, it was close to 40 per cent. The study in Nepal also showed that almost 60 per cent girls under the age of 15 years trafficked into sex work were found to be HIV positive. Weak governance makes the poor vulnerable to the risk of being trafficked. The absence of effective legislation and policies as well as poor law enforcement and corruption contribute to this. Trafficking happens both within and across national borders. However, national governments and other stakeholders are yet to give this issue the priority it deserves, mainly because of the shortage of convincing data, the study said. "Information is available with regard to brothel-based sex work, but this reveals nothing about those who practice sex work in other settings," the study said, adding "researchers need to look beyond sex work, since those who are trafficked for other purposes also find themselves in situations that increase their vulnerability to HIV. The clandestine nature of the phenomenon, criminal linkages and the cross-border spread mask the scale of the problem." Titled "Human Trafficking and HIV: Exploring Vulnerabilities and Responses in South Asia," the analysis in this report is based on rapid assessment studies conducted in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Pakistan between 2004 and 2005. These studies explored the links between human trafficking, migration and HIV/AIDS in these countries and reviewed available data, the national laws, policies, strategies and responses. To address human trafficking and HIV/AIDS the study recommends better coordination in national efforts to address both issues, which are often dealt separately, by focusing on factors such as gender inequalities and violence, social marginalization, poverty, and education. Better conceptual clarity on the issues concerned; integrating trafficking and HIV interventions into key sectors; and laws and policies to address both HIV and trafficking are other recommendations of the Study. "One of the fundamental weaknesses in explaining and exploring the linkages between trafficking and HIV is lack of adequate data," said Ms. Caitlin Wiesen, Regional HIV/AIDS Team Leader and Programme Cooridnator for Asia Pacific, UNDP Regional HIV and Development Programme. With Harvard School of Public Health, the Regional Programme is initiating a three-country research study on the linkages between human trafficking and HIV in Asia, she said. The study was part of UNDP's 3-year regional project on human trafficking and HIV in South Asia supported by the government of Japan under the UN Trust Fund on Human Security. "Human trafficking and HIV significantly threaten human security. The government of Japan is committed to assisting efforts to reduce vulnerabilities of girls and women to human trafficking and HIV infection in Asia," said Mr. Masayuki Taga, Counsellor, the Embassy of Japan in Sri Lanka. =============================================================== 4. Massive screening for HIV taken up.(Pondicherry) The Hindu, August 23, 2007. http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/22/stories/2007082252000300.htm Pondicherry: About 75,000 people in the Union Territory will be tested for the presence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). The massive screening, taken up by the Pondicherry AIDS Control Society (PACS) under a national programme to cover 10 million people to test for the deadly virus, is being undertaken for three months, in which blood samples of 75,000 people will be collected for testing, said Dilip Kumar Baliga, Director of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Puducherry, said here on Tuesday. At the inaugural of the screening programme, Dr. Baliga said that testing was voluntary and the PACS, through its counselling staff, would explain to the public the need for an early screening. The programme mainly focussed on youth, he added. Explaining to The Hindu on how the society planned to go about the programme, Dr. Gilbert Fernandez, PACS Project Director, said that, apart from its screening centres at Odiansalai, the JIPMER, in Karikklempakkam and Mannadipet com munity health centres, private medical colleges would be engaged in the programme. The Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences at Kalapet and Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical College at Madagadipet had agreed to open units for the special screening. Two other medical colleges were also being approached, he said. Mobile unit A mobile unit would visit various places for creating awareness and screening. The unit would mainly focus on places where industrial units and industrial estates were located. Many industries had agreed to participate in the screening programme, he noted. The PACS had also approached the Police Department, the NCC and the NSS volunteers. The society planned to motivate in-patients at the Government and private hospitals to participate in the voluntary testing programme. Trained staff would do the testing, and results kept confidential. The results would be informed directly to the individual, the Project irector said. Dr. Dilip Kumar said early detection of the virus could enhance life-expectancy of the infected person. The quality of life could also be improved. The special invitee, actor-director R. Parthipan, said his next movie would address the issues involved with the HIV. B. Sridevi, Chairperson Puducherry Municipality, and councillors India Somani and C Rajalakshmi also spoke. Students from various schools and colleges took part in a rally to propagate the three-month screening programme, which would end on October 21. =============================================================== 5. West Bengal Scholar paddling his bicycle to spread HIV/AIDS awareness.(Sri Nagar) www.naknews.co.in, August 23, 2007. http://naknews.co.in/newsdet.aspx?q=9403 Sri Nagar: Somen Debnath from Basanti Village (Sunderban) District South 24 Perganas West Bengal, India, reached here under his mission and via Kargil, Leh, and Kashmir to campaign against the dreaded disease HIV/AIDS. Twenty four year-old PhD scholar while talking to News Agency of Kashmir before leaving for Chandigarh said that in Jammu and Kashmir I interacted with so many people, I found them simple and religious minded and are aware of the ill-effects of illicit relations and that is why there are less HIV infected patients in the state compared to other states. "During his trip to Ladakh, Somen also trekked the highest motorable road in the world when he crossed 18,000 feet high Khardungla pass on bicycle. Somen said he was moved by an AIDS related death in his neighbourhood 10 years ago and decided to go round the globe for HIV/AIDS awareness programme. "I kicked off my journey on a bicycle on May 27, 2004 from my native village with just Rs 600 in the pocket," he told NAK. Somen claimed that after departing from his native village on 27 May, 2004 he has been able to cover over 55,600 km, 27 states of India and neighboring countries Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. I have personally conducted HIV/AIDS awareness programmes with 162 NGOs, at 3019 schools, 2254 collages, 33 university, 62 red-light areas, and numerous roadside dhabas. I have met over 67 Governors and Ministers during my tour so far. When asked about the objective, the young Somen said "I am on a tour of the 191 countries achieved goal in 2020 of the world in my bicycle attempting to spread awareness about and help to prevent HIV/AIDS", adding "My focus is on covering the uninitiated rural land tribal populaces worldwide, who have the lowest level of awareness about this deadly disease",. "I am also traveling to promote peace, humanity and the end of poverty all of which are essential to stopping HIV/AIDS". Somen told News Agency of Kashmir. Sharing his view point about the methodology of spreading the message of peace and AIDS free society, Somen said "I concentrate on briefing my audience about meditation, yoga and pranayama breathing teachings, as the human mind and body can to a great extent, be controlled and helped to alleviate pain through there techniques", adding "I educate people from all parts of society, regardless of occupation or religion, at schools, colleges, universities". He said I also provide education and condom and syringe distribution for sex workers/prostitutes, truck drivers and drug addicts. When asked what inspired him to take this mission, Somen said, my original inspiration was a newspaper article which I read at age 14 entitled "AIDS deadlier than Cancer", about a HIV positive man in "casteless" West Bengal who was ostracized by his villagers and left to die alone. This left a telling impression on me. "I began inquiring from my school teachers about AIDS and was later trained by the West Bengal AIDS Prevention and control society. Continuing to spread awareness and knowledge about HIV/AIDS is the best way to prevent the virus in a sense, prevention through awareness is more important than cure. Replying to a question whether he face any difficulty during his mission, Somen said, ULFA terrorists abducted me in North ???East India because of the boots I was wearing. I was blindfolded, beaten, and taken to their camp. However, when I met their commander, he greeted me with a copy of the latest newspaper article about my journey. I educated them about HIVAIDS and was eventually fed and released. Last I have faced 18 times with the terrorists include Bhutan and Sri Lanka. I have taken 30 programme with terrorists so for. On 27th July 2007 I reached Leh (J&K) by crossing second highest pass of the world pass About Sponsorship Somen said till now I have no formal sponsors for my journey. I do get some help from the His Excellencies of almost every state. He said during his visit to Srinagar Raj Bhawan he was given five thousand (5000.00) by the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. "I am grateful to His Excellency for honoring me with a letter and cash" Somen told NAK adding but I was shocked when the vice Chancellor of Jammu University wasted my two days and did not allow me to share his view point regarding my mission with the vice chancellor Amitab Matoo. Aiming to complete his mission by 2020, Somen will tour 32 countries by flight and 28 nations by ship and the bicycle will be all along with him. =============================================================== 6. Folk artistes will be performing in villages and towns, subtly promoting awareness about AIDS/HIV.(Bangalore) The Hindu, August 23, 2007. http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/24/stories/2007082450770300.htm Bangalore: Folk artistes will be performing in villages and towns, subtly promoting awareness about AIDS/HIV. The Song and Drama Division (SDD) of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is holding workshops for folk troupes to train them to include understated messages about the disease in order to prevent its further spread. Street play actors, for example, will bring up the issue of AIDS in their performances by skilfully weaving it into the storyline instead of an in-your-face manner. Yakshagana, puppetry and Srikrishna Parijatha troupes in Karnataka and katha prasangam, kalaripayattu, and vilpaattu troupes in Kerala are being used to achieve the goal, according to SSD's Regional Centre Manager Jitendra Panpatil. The country has 12.5 lakh people with AIDS as on August 31, 2006, according to the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) attached to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. SSD sources said that the troupes would perform in districts identified as worst-hit by NACO. In Karnataka, for example, it has identified 25 of the 27 districts and two in Kerala. Six other districts in Kerala are in the second category. The regional centre of the SDD here held a two-day interface between artistes and experts from Tuesday. As many as 92 artistes belonging to 14 folk art forms from different districts participated. They attempted to make their performances effective in order to inspire people to take precaution to prevent the spread of AIDS. Presentation style A team from the Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society including Additional Project Director of B.S. Premaleela, Joint Director S.G. Ravindra and Deputy Director G.B. Meti helped them achieve accuracy of the messages included in performances. SDD Deputy Director H.V. Krishnamurthy guided them on maintaining the format ??? unique style of presentation of different folk arts. The city-based Yakshadegula that specialises in Yakshagana and Lalitakala Ranga of Mariyammanahalli in Bellary district that specialises in street plays are among the troupes participating. Barring Shimoga and Chickmagalur, all the districts have been identified by the centre as "A-grade" districts as regards the spread of AIDS/HIV infection, according to SDD sources. =============================================================== 7. Punjab networking of positive people: A platform for HIV-positives.(Ludhiana) The Indian Express, August 24, 2007. http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=252471 Ludhiana: The HIV epidemic is about fathers and mothers, children, sisters and brothers, loved ones, friends and neighbours. It affects people we know, people we love and care for, as well as people that we may have never met, but who inspire us to live healthy lives. To counter the stigma and discrimination faced by people living with the HIV positive virus, and to acknowledge and bring forward the urgency and seriousness of the problem, a group of HIV positive people in Punjab have started their own 'Punjab networking of positive people', a non-government organisation. The NGO is organised and managed by people living with HIV/AIDS in Punjab. It aims at representing the needs of people and improving the quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS in Punjab. Talking to Newsline, Jagjit Singh Maan, General Secretary (the only negative office bearer), said, "There are about 35 members from Phagwara, Mandi Ahmedgarh, Nabha, Basti Jodhewal in Ludhiana, etc, and all these members are HIV positive. A majority of these, however, are widows or migrant people from UP and Bihar." The members of the organization feel that the spread of this deadly disease can be stopped by an active involvement by the government and general public. Mehar Singh, president of the organization, said, "I am also HIV positive and contracted the virus from my second wife. I remarried after my first wife died. My second wife also died of an AIDS related illness one and a half years back. But I am in the first stage as of now. We are trying to pressure the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) for free treatment of second stage positive patients, as it is very costly and out of a common man's budget. Maybe after 10-15 years I'll also be in that stage." Maan said that NGO aims at making people aware of the AIDS epidemic and also helps patients in the first stage to have Anti Retro Viral (ARV) therapy done at PGI Chandigarh, Civil Hospital Jalandhar and Amritsar. "A few weeks ago we also appealed people through Human Rights network to not seek any medicinal help or advice from quacks. We appealed to them to seek advice of competent doctors," Mann said. Mehar Singh mentioned that the group will organize awareness camps in villages. =============================================================== 8. Japanese PM's wife visits HIV-positive kids.(New Delhi) www.ndtv.com, August 24, 2007. http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070023506 New Delhi: A group of HIV-positive children in a hospital had a special visitor on Wednesday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's wife Akie. Akie spent some tender moments with them, hugging them and enquiring about their health. After five-month-old Suresh got a warm hug from Akie, he refused to go back to his mother when she called him. The former FM radio disk jockey spent time with the children being treated at Kalawati Saran Hospital, picking them up and playing with them. Akie also visited the hospital's ICU and interacted with staff and doctors there. The hospital specialises in treating HIV-positive children. The Japanese government has helped build the hospital's emergency ICU and contributed ambulances and other services to it. =============================================================== 9. HIV test not mandatory for government job.(India) The Hindustan Times, August 25, 2007. http://www.hindustantimes.com/Redir.aspx?ID=fb1505bf-a8cc-4c96-9ac1-fc566de9c497 India: There is no need for a mandatory HIV test to get a government job, the Centre has told the Supreme Court. The Centre on Thursday spelt out its stand in an affidavit filed in response to a petition by the Andhra Pradesh government. The state has challenged an Andhra Pradesh High Court verdict declaring a provision in the Andhra Pradesh Revised Police Manual requiring a mandatory HIV test as illegal. The Centre has said such a practice amounts to discrimination and will encourage a tendency among people to conceal the disease, thereby making it difficult to check its spread. Advocate Anand Grover, who represents the affected HIV-positive candidate in the case, said: "The government's stand is correct and supports our contention on the basis of which the high court gave its judgment." The high court had in December 2005 struck down order 70(3) of the police manual declaring it unconstitutional and upheld the contention of the HIV-positive candidate who was rejected on the grounds that he was suffering from the disease. He had, otherwise, cleared all the tests for the post of sub-inspector. The high court had held that HIV-positive persons could not be condemned to "economic death" by denial of equal opportunity in employment. "Not all people living with HIV are unsuitable for employment," it had observed. The state government had justified its stand, saying that persons with HIV become weak and are unable to effectively perform the rigorous duties required of a police officer. The candidate was a constable when he applied for the sub-inspector's post. However, since an HIV test was not prescribed at the time he was selected for the constable's post, it wasn't known whether he was HIV-positive at that time. The state had contended that mere selection did not confer right for appointment and since the rules prohibited the appointment of HIV-positive persons, the candidate had been rejected. It had also contended that the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, relating to HIV infected persons, were general and not applicable to appointments in the police department. =============================================================== 10. HIV positive baby on sale,but no takers.(India) The Hindustan Times, August 26, 2007. http://www.hindustantimes.com/Redir.aspx?ID=716ffc89-2f64-4980-88e5-a86e7bb1ee71 India: HIV positive baby on sale - but no takers. This is the story of an HIV positive woman in Chhattisgarh who has been driven by poverty to offer her newborn daughter for sale - and the little baby whom no one wants because she too is infected with the virus. Goldy, in her 30s, has been visiting public places in Kondagaon in Bastar district, about 220 km from Raipur, to sell off her baby girl ever since she was discharged from the government hospital there Aug 15 after delivery. The local administration, which woke up to the issue this week, has stopped her from offering the baby for sale and arrangements are being made for her treatment. "She was holding a week-old baby in her arms and asking people to buy the child so that she could get money for food," RP Pandey, chief medical officer of Bastar district, told IANS on telephone. "Some people who showed initial interest in adopting the baby refused to do so after a test conducted in the government hospital confirmed that both the mother and the child are HIV positive," Pandey said. "We do not have much details of her family background. She is refusing to give details. But it's a very touching and emotional case; we do not know how to help her," Pandey added. Bastar's district collector Ganesh Shankar Mishra told IANS over telephone: "I have come to know about the matter... The administration will fully cooperate and will not allow her to sell the kid. I am arranging for advanced treatment of both the mother and the kid at the government hospital in Raipur. "I have talked to the chief medical officer in Raipur to admit the mother and the baby and take care of all their medical needs." Despite various measures taken by the government, AIDS continues to spread in the country. A UNAIDS report claimed in 2006 that India had the largest number of people living with HIV/AIDS, an estimated 5.7 million infections. India's National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), however, put the figure at between 2.5 million and 3.1 million earlier this month. People suffering from the disease still face isolation from society. Goldy's miserable condition is a consequence of the ignorance of people about the disease. Earlier this month, a baby in New Delhi was abandoned twice before she was rescued by an NGO due to the belief that she was HIV positive. Dumped by her mother in an auto-rickshaw soon after she was born, she moved from the hands of a poor childless couple to the house of a medical representative before reaching the NGO. =============================================================== 11. Abbott Labs' bid for anti-HIV drug patent to face stiff challenge.(New Delhi) www.livemint.com, August 26, 2007. http://www.livemint.com/2007/08/27001549/Abbott-Labs8217-bid-for-ant.html New Delhi: Less than a week after an Indian patent filing made by Abbott Laboratories Inc. for Aluvia, a heat stable version of its $1.14 billion (Rs4,696.8 crore) anti-HIV drug, was challenged by a US???non-profit health group, it is becoming clear that the Illinois, US-based drug maker will face several more 'pre-grant oppositions' here. Indian patient groups say they are also contemplating following the example set by Initiative for Medicines, Access & Knowledge (I-MAK), which announced its filing in the Mumbai Patent Office, on Thursday. Meanwhile, Indian generic drug maker Cipla Ltd claims it, too, might fight the Abbott patent filing. Sold under the brand name Aluvia by Abbott, the drug is a combination of lopinavir and ritonavir drugs in a tablet form and remains chemically stable and doesn't need refrigeration in countries such as India. Unlike its original version Kaletra, which has the same drug combination but is in the form of soft gel capsules, Aluvia also does not come with any patient dietary restrictions and also lowers the number of pills a patient is prescribed a day. Roughly 93,000 AIDS patients in India are on antiretroviral therapy and a tenth of them are estimated to require drugs similar to Aluvia. Public health groups say that there isn't enough fresh ground broken by Abbott to be eligible for patent protection."Both the ingredient drugs, lopinavir and ritonavir, are pre-995 drugs and, hence, not patentable. The combination, which is heat stable, doesn't deserve a patent by itself," said drug access campaigner Leena Menghaney of Medecins Sans Frontieres or Doctors Without Borders' Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines. Drugs that pre-date India's Patents Acts 2005 by more than 10 years are not eligible for the so-called product patents. The opposition by I-MAK centers on a controversial provision, Section 3(D), of the Indian patent law that bars patents on derivatives of an older drug without substantial rise in efficacy. The compliance of this provision with global trade laws was unsuccessfully challenged by Swiss drug maker Novartis AG this year and turned down by the Madras high court earlier this month. An adverse verdict for Novartis has emboldened public health activists to fight what they see as other 'frivolous' patents. "Abbott's application on the lopinavir/ritonavir tablet is not inventive and, if granted, would prevent others from supplying low-cost versions of the drug," said Tahir Amin, I-MAK director, in a statement. "It is an egregious example of how the public is harmed by improper extension of patent life by Abbott." I-MAK has opposed the patent in both European and Indian patent offices. An Abbott spokesperson did not respond immediately to request for comment. At least two Indian activist groups confirmed that they were finalizing their pre-grant oppositions to the Abbott drug, but declined to be named or give details until the filing with the Indian patent office was done. Cipla, which currently sells a generic version of the lopinavir-ritonavir drug, too, might file a pre-grant opposition, said its chief executive Amar Lulla. Abbott's Kaletra has been under attack in Thailand as well with the government there breaking its patent and sourcing the drug from other generic pharmaceutical firms. =============================================================== 12. HIV+ and orphaned: Children no one wants.(New Delhi) The Times of India, August 26, 2007. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/HIV_and_orphaned_Children_no_one_wants/articleshow/2313020.cms New Delhi: It's a ray of hope in an area of gloom. Recently, a 15-day-old baby, Chhoti, was found abandoned. Though rumoured to be HIV positive, many couples on hearing about her through the media, volunteered to adopt her. However, not many are as lucky as her. Most people don't come forward to adopt HIV positive children. Recently, an HIV positive woman in Chhattisgarh, driven by poverty, offered her newborn daughter for sale. But no one wanted the baby as she too was infected. Later, the local administration, which got to know about the issue, stopped her from selling the baby and made arrangements for her treatment. Says Sonia Kohli, who runs Sahyog, an NGO, and in whose custody Chhoti was, "Since the news was out in the media, people initially came forward to adopt Chhoti. When the hype died, people backed off. Even some doctors advised me against keeping the child. I have now given the child to a family, but I am sure that if Chhoti was HIV positive, nobody would have legally adopted her." Arun Dave, president, AIDS prevention club, Rajkot, corroborates, "Ever since we started working for the cause of AIDS, 18 years back, not even one family has volunteered to adopt an HIV positive child." In many cases, even when the child turns out to be negative later, people are scared to adopt. HIV positive children turn negative only until they are one-and-a-half years old. After that, it's believed their status doesn't change. But medical miracles do happen. Anyhow, adoption agencies have a definite role to play here ??? in convincing the families and educating them about the issue. "If we have a child who is HIV positive-turned-negative, we tell the family about the child. After counselling and making them understand the medical aspects, if they are still willing, they accept the child. However, this happens only once in a blue moon," says Madhavi Hegde Karandikar, adoption practitioner, Bal Asha, Mumbai. Such children are mostly adopted, either by rich parents and those settled abroad or foreigners. "Adopting an HIV positive child requires a lot of willpower. Moreover, social acceptance of such children is less in our country. Outside India, people are more educated about HIV," says Nilima Mehta, chairperson, Child Welfare Committee, Mumbai. "There is a social stigma attached to it. Even today, there is not much awareness about HIV. Not many even know the difference between HIV positive and AIDS. They are ignorant about how HIV is passed and so don't want their families and friends to know that the child was born with the virus," says Dave. Outside India, there are many organisations which have been successful in placing HIV positive children in permanent and foster homes. One such project is Children With AIDS Project of America, which seeks out adoptive parents for HIV infants and children. Its database has over 1,000 waiting families. Experts say there are no legal restrictions for adoption of HIV positive children. "We can give such children in adoption, provided there are families willing to take them and all documents are in place," says Wendy Andrews, adoption officer, Hope Foundation, New Delhi. Despite various measures taken by the government, people suffering from the disease still face stigma and isolation. A UNAIDS report claimed in 2006 that India had the largest number of people living with HIV/AIDS, an estimated 5.7 million. "Adopting a child involves knowledge within oneself that all children are equal, be they healthy or with special needs and therefore equally deserve security within a family. One should be better informed about the subject and make a choice knowing and understanding all these aspects," says Aloma Lobo, chairperson, IYC Community Centre, Bangalore. =============================================================== Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in the above articles are those of the respective newspapers, not those of SAATHII.