********************************************************** SAATHII Electronic Newsletter HIV NEWS FROM INDIA SOURCE:www.newindpress.com, www.gorkhapatra.org.np, The Hindu, The Medical News Today, The Chandigarh Newsline, The Statesman, www.topnews.in, The Economic Times, The Times of India, www.spiritindia.com, Posted on: 20/10/2007 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. Lepra Society to test CD4 cell counts (Bhubneshwar) www.newindpress.com, October 5, 2007. http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEQ20071004235859&Page=Q&Headline=Lepra+Society+to+test+CD4+cell+counts&Title=ORISSA&Topic=0 2. HIV-infected persons increasing in Bardiya (Bardiya) www.gorkhapatra.org.np, october 5, 2007. http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/content.php?nid=28187 3. HIV prevalence rate 0.28 pc: survey (New Delhi) The Hindu, October 9, 2007. http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/10/stories/2007101054980900.htm 4. Unwanted Sex Common Among Young Married Women In India (India) The Medical News Today, October 10, 2007. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/84967.php 5. 'The fight against HIV/AIDS involves entire community' (Chandigarh) The Chandigarh Newsline, October 10, 2007. http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/The-fight-against-HIV-AIDS-involves-entire-community/227113/ 6. Rise in AIDS cases in J&K (Jammu) The Statesman, October 10, 2007. http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=2&theme=&usrsess=1&id=173006 7. Survey articulates 0.28 % HIV Prevalence Rate (Noida) www.topnews.in, October 10, 2007. http://www.topnews.in/survey-articulates-0-28-hiv-prevalence-rate-23336 8. First high-security lab on infectious organisms in India (Bangalore) The Economic Times, October 11, 2007. http://www.countercurrents.org/sengupta050407.htm 9. AIDS cases show a drop (New Delhi) The Times of India, October 13, 2007. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/AIDS_cases_show_a_drop/articleshow/2450998.cms 10. Enhanced support to AIDS prevention and care programme in north eastern states (New Delhi) www.spiritindia.com, October 13, 2007. http://www.spiritindia.com/health-care-news-articles-13875.html 11. NACO launches sub-office in Guwahati (New Delhi) The Hindu, October 14, 2007. http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/13/stories/2007101356231100.htm =============================================================== 1. Lepra Society to test CD4 cell counts (Bhubneshwar) www.newindpress.com, October 5, 2007. http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEQ20071004235859&Page=Q&Headline=Lepra+Society+to+test+CD4+cell+counts&Title=ORISSA&Topic=0 Bhubneshwar: Lepra Society to test CD4 cell counts. Bhubneshwar: The Orissa State AIDS Control Society (OSACS) has tied up with LEPRA Society, Hyderabad, to overcome the problem of CD4 cell count tests in the State. With the number of patients seeking Anti Retro-viral Therapy (ART) is on the rise in the vulnerable zones, Orissa, found it difficult to cope with pressure. For, the only CD4 count machine is available at the Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) here and it has developed a snag. After OSACS set up the first ART centre at MKCG Medical College and Hospital at Berhampur in September last year, the T4 cell counts were conducted either at RMRC or sent to Kolkata. For HIV positive patients seeking ART, the CD4 count is the pre-requisite. A level below 200 necessitates the therapy every month but absence of a testing facility was a major bottleneck. We could make do with the RMRC facility but after it ran into trouble, the need for immediate test of T4 cells count of patients was felt, the Project Director, OSACS, Parameswar Swain said. Moreover, dependence on the Kolkata based Government of India lab was not of any help since test reports did not arrive on time. As per agreement, Swain said LEPRA Society will test 300 samples free of cost after which it will charge for the consumables. In fact, as many as 75 samples have been collected from Berhampur. Interestingly, the pressure for CD4 test is more likely to build up as OSACS is all set to set up two more ART centres at SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack and VSS Medical College and Hospital, Burla. Swain said the inspection work for the centres has been complete and the two would start operating around November and December this year. The ART centre at MKCG can treat 500 patients in a month and with over 7,000 HIV positive people in the State, the establishment of two more centres may just appear timely. An ART centre must have trained medical officer and support s taff as per the NACO guidelines. =============================================================== 2. HIV-infected persons increasing in Bardiya (Bardiya) www.gorkhapatra.org.np, october 5, 2007. http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/content.php?nid=28187 Bardiya: HIV-infected persons increasing in Bardiya A voluntary blood testing programme organised jointly by Garuwa Rural Awareness Association and Red Cross Society in Bardiya showed that the number of people infected with HIV has been increasing in the district. Among the total blood samples, 67 per cent of the people who went through the testing found to be infected with HIV. People between 25 to 45 years group are found to be infected with HIV and many of such HIV cases were found to be developed into AIDS, the Red Cross Society informed. Councilor Sudash Sharma said that people who were in foreign services in India and Gulf countries have returned with the viruses. Such infected persons transmit the virus to their wives and new born children as well,he said. The exact number of the people infected with HIV virus has not come as the people are reluctant to donate their blood for testing,said another councilor Babita Gyawali. She said that people has a misconception that they have to test blood when they are infected with HIV. The voluntary teasing programme has been conducted in 19 VDCs of the districts and all the wards of Gularia municipality. There are voluntary testing and counseling centres in all 75 districts of the country. It is estimated that more than 70,000 people are infected with HIV but due to lack of knowledge and fear as well as social discrimination people do not want to go through health check-ups, she said. In the case of women, it is said that more housewives have been infected by HIV and AIDS but they could not come out openly due to social stigma. Men often are reluctant to share about their problems with their wives for fear of severing their relationship. Only 9,949 HIV/AIDS cases are registered at the National Centre for AIDS and STD Control under the Ministry of Health and Population. The number of deaths from HIV/AIDS till August 17, 2007 has been put at 433. Organisation of HIV infected complained that last year alone, six of the dead were given extra dose of medicine due to the carelessness of the doctors. Around 500 people are receiving Anti-retroviral Treatment (ART). =============================================================== 3. HIV prevalence rate 0.28 pc: survey (New Delhi) The Hindu, October 9, 2007. http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/10/stories/2007101054980900.htm New Delhi: HIV prevalence rate 0.28 pc: survey The National Family and Health Survey-3 (NFHS)-3 has put the HIV prevalence rate in the country at 0.28 per cent, compared to 0.36 per cent claimed by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) a few months ago. The prevalence rate among men 0.36 per cent is higher than the rate among women 0.22 per cent. For both men and women, the prevalence is highest in the 30-34 age-group and the rate is 40 per cent higher in cities than in rural areas. The district-wise, community-based household survey was carried out by the NFHS-3 for the first time and it is independent of the sentinel surveillance system used by the NACO. The survey included consented HIV testing on a representative sample of more than 1,00,000 women and men in the age group of 15 to 49 in Tamil Nadu While the prevalence in men was higher across the country, the only exception was Tamil Nadu, where it was higher among women, probably because the men had died of the disease and the State was effective in containing the disease. The disease there had peaked and was now on a downslide, sources in the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry told The Hindu. Infection rates The infection rates vary from 1.13 per cent in Manipur and 0.97 per cent in Andhra Pradesh to only 0.34 per cent in Tamil Nadu. The estimate for Uttar Pradesh, a low prevalence State, is only 0.07 per cent. The prevalence continued to be high in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Nagaland. The survey has concluded that only 61 per cent of women and 84 per cent of men (15-49 years) had heard of AIDS. Awareness increased markedly since NFHS-2 in 1998-99 but still remained low among some groups. Men have more information about preventing HIV/AIDS than women. About seven in 10 men know each of the three ABC prevention methods" abstinence, being faithful and condoms" compared to only four in 10 women. Misconceptions Misconceptions about HIV/AIDS are also common. Only 38 per cent of women and 61 per cent of men know that a healthy-looking person could be infected. About two-thirds of women and half of men mistakenly believed that mosquito bites could transmit the virus. =============================================================== 4. Unwanted Sex Common Among Young Married Women In India (India) The Medical News Today, October 10, 2007. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/84967.php India: Unwanted Sex Common Among Young Married Women In India Nearly half of young wives in the Indian states of Gujarat and West Bengal experience unwanted sex: 12% frequently and another 32% occasionally. According to "Consent and Coercion: Examining Unwanted Sex Among Married Young Women in India," which appears in the September 2007 issue of International Family Planning Perspectives. Using survey data and in-depth interviews with 1,644 young married women, authors K.G. Santhya of the Population Council, et al., identify factors that predict a woman's likelihood of experiencing unwanted sex with her husband. They find that wealthier women, women who knew their husbands before they got married and women whose husbands support them during family conflicts are less likely than their peers to experience unwanted sex. Frequent coerced sex is more likely to occur among recently married young women than among pregnant women or new mothers, suggesting that the pressure to have a first child leaves some young married women especially vulnerable to sexual coercion. In addition, the more circumstances in which a woman believes it is justifiable for a husband to beat his wife, the more likely she is to experience unwanted sex. Young women with lower levels of education are also at greater risk than their more educated peers. These findings offer valuable insights for programs and policies aimed at protecting young women from unwanted sex within marriage. Such programs should target newly married couples to foster supportive relationships which protect against unwanted sex. HIV and unintended pregnancy prevention programs should incorporate counseling and education on sexual coercion. In addition, programs are needed to address men's sense of entitlement when it comes to sex within marriage. =============================================================== 5. 'The fight against HIV/AIDS involves entire community' (Chandigarh) The Chandigarh Newsline, October 10, 2007. http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/The-fight-against-HIV-AIDS-involves-entire-community/227113/ Chandigarh: The fight against HIV/AIDS involves entire community A group Young Indians, part of the Confederation of Indian Industry, organised an awareness session on HIV/AIDS and blood safety on Wednesday. The session was organised in collaboration with Haryana AIDS Control Society and Government College, Sector 1, Panchkula. The session aims at increasing awareness and garnering the support of youth in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The chief guest, Director General Health Services and Project Director Haryana AIDS society, Dr Avinash Sharma said, Educating the masses is the only solution to prevent the spread of the disease. It is not only a health issue, but has socio economic ramifications also. Young India (YI) believes that the responsibility of developing India lies with younger generation. The youth must be involved in any such project, said Jayadev Galla, YI national vice chairman. Galla added that YI envisioned creating a movement encompassing diverse sections of the youth who will be able to reach out to community stakeholders. Setting the tone of the session, RC Goyal, principal, Government College, Panchkula, said that educational institutions must play an important role in combating the menace of HIV/AIDS. Reiterating the commitment towards the cause Goyal said, The fight against AIDS involves the entire community, including the government, corporates, NGOs. We have to rise to the challenge and deal with the issue immediately. =============================================================== 6. Rise in AIDS cases in J&K (Jammu) The Statesman, October 10, 2007. http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=2&theme=&usrsess=1&id=173006 Jammu: Rise in AIDS cases in J&K There is an increase in HIV-AIDS cases in Jammu and Kashmir over the last two years. The number of HIV positive cases from September, 2006 to September, 2007 has reached 1,130. In the past three months, twenty cases have been detected. The recorded increase in the number of HIV positive cases indicates more and more people are getting themselves tested, thanks to the awareness campaign, said Dr Mohammed Amin Wani, project director, J&K AIDS Prevention and Control Society. Of the 24 lakh AIDS patients in India, 1,130 patients are suffering in the state, more than 200 in Kashmir and 900 in Jammu. HIV-infected patients constitute 65 per cent men and 35 per cent women. Figures suggest most of the HIV-infected people in the age group of 15 to 45 belong to urban areas. =============================================================== 7. Survey articulates 0.28 % HIV Prevalence Rate (Noida) www.topnews.in, October 10, 2007. http://www.topnews.in/survey-articulates-0-28-hiv-prevalence-rate-23336 Noida: Survey articulates 0.28 % HIV Prevalence Rate According to the National Family and Health Survey-3, the HIV prevalence rate in country is 0.28 per cent, but the National AIDS Control Organization claimed the rate at 0.36 per cent several months ago. Men have higher prevalence rate with 0.36 per cent, than the women with 0.22 per cent. For both men and women, the prevalence is highest in the 30-34 year age group and the rate is 40 percent more in the cities than in rural areas. NFHS-3 carried out the survey district-wise, community-based for the first time and it is independent of sentinel surveillance system used by the NACO. The HIV testing samples of more than 1,00,000 women and men in age group of 15-49 were taken for the survey. In Tamil Nadu, the prevalence rate is higher among women, while across the country it is higher among men than women. The infection rates vary from 1.13 per cent in Manipur, 0.97 per cent in Andhra Pradesh, 0.34 per cent in Tamil Nadu, and 0.07 percent in Uttar Pradesh. It was concluded that only 61 per cent of women and 84 per cent of men of 15-49 years had heard of AIDS. About 7 out of 10 men know each of the ABC prevention methods abstinence, being faithful and condoms as compared to only 4 in 10 women. Only 38 per cent of women and 61 per cent of men know that a healthy-looking person could be infected. =============================================================== 8. First high-security lab on infectious organisms in India (Bangalore) The Economic Times, October 11, 2007. http://www.countercurrents.org/sengupta050407.htm Bangalore: Economic Times - India, October 11, 2007. After debating for over two years, the Indian government has approved construction of the country's first high-security facility for handling and doing research with highly infectious organisms causing diseases in humans. "The government has sanctioned $25.4 million for establishing the Biosafety Level-4 (BSL-4) facility," Lalji Singh, director of Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), told media. Singh had mooted the proposal in 2005. He said the facility would be set up in Andhra Pradesh, in the "industrial area" about three kilometres from CCMB, on a five-acre land given by the state government. The ministry of science and technology has given CCMB -- one of the institutes under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the responsibility for setting up the new lab as a "national facility". India has a BSL-4 laboratory for handling deadly animal pathogens in Bhopal. Last month, government experts validated and cleared BSL-3 level labs at five laboratories under the CSIR. Containment facilities exist in India's defence laboratory in Gwalior but details are not available. Singh said the country at present has no BSL-4 facility for handling highly infectious and dangerous micro organisms that can be transmitted via the aerosol route and cause diseases for which there is no vaccine or therapy. The examples are Ebola, West Nile, and SARS virus. These agents require the most stringent conditions for their containment Lalji Singh said the Hyderabad facility would not do any classified work for defence. "The main objective of our facility would be to carry out basic research on the biology of lethal and highly infectious micro organisms and develop diagnostics to detect cause of sudden disease outbreaks." Singh said the immediate priorities are HIV that causes AIDS, multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, hepatitis and bird flu. He said the facility would have collaborative programmes with pharmaceutical companies. The original proposal submitted by CCMB to the government said that "being the first of its kind in India, the BSL-4 facility would be of world class and international standards". Its design has already been selected on the basis of visits by Indian experts to similar labs in France, Canada, and the US during the last two years. "Under the government rules we have to invite global bids," Singh said, adding that the facility would be ready in about two years - one year for construction and another for validation. Although the BSL-4 facility will be located in an industrial area its presence, not too far from residential localities, is likely to invite opposition from environmentalists. Singh however assured that the facility would not impact the environment or pose a health risk. "By definition, the BSL-4 facility has very stringent conditions for containment," he told media. "In any case the deadly organisms will be grown in small lab animals for research and not stored in the facility." Justifying its need, Singh said that Indian scientists have been unable to do advanced research on highly pathogenic organisms due to non availability of BSL-4. "With the emergence of drug resistant form of TB, Hepatitis and HIV, it is necessary to have a facility where these organisms can be handled," he said. "There is a need to develop vaccines and for rapid identification of organisms of unknown origin. Fight against infectious diseases will be continuing process especially as strains keep evolving," he said. Singh said that some 20 countries have initiated the construction of such labs in the past two years and India is already late in the game. =============================================================== 9. AIDS cases show a drop (New Delhi) The Times of India, October 13, 2007. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/AIDS_cases_show_a_drop/articleshow/2450998.cms New Delhi: AIDS cases show a drop The number of people infected with the AIDS virus in India continues to nose dive. In July, the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) put the prevalence at 0.36% of the population. On Thursday, the National Family and Health Survey-III, which tested blood samples of 1,00,000 women and men in age group of 15-49 for HIV, put the prevalence rate at 0.28%. This was the second time such a large scale community-based survey to estimate HIV prevalence was carried out in the world. Earlier, only Cambodia had managed such a feat, but the number was obviously much smaller. Till July 2007, it was estimated that the prevalence of HIV in the general population was 0.9%. After NACO's announcement in July, India became the third worst affected country with the deadly disease after South Africa (5.5 million) and Nigeria (2.9 million). NFHS-III has also found that men have higher prevalence rate with 0.36% than women with 0.22%. For both men and women, the prevalence was highest in the 30-34 year age group. Cities recorded a 40% more HIV prevalence than rural areas. In Tamil Nadu, the prevalence rate is higher among women, while across the country it is higher among men than women. The infection rates varied from 1.13% in Manipur, 0.97% in Andhra, 0.34% in TN, and 0.07% in UP. Awareness of AIDS was also found to be high 61% of women and 84% of men of 15-49 years had heard of AIDS. At least 7 out of 10 men know each of the ABC prevention methods, abstinence, being faithful and condoms as compared to only 4 in 10 women. =============================================================== 10. Enhanced support to AIDS prevention and care programme in north eastern states (New Delhi) www.spiritindia.com, October 13, 2007. http://www.spiritindia.com/health-care-news-articles-13875.html New Delhi: Enhanced support to AIDS prevention and care programme in north eastern states HIV :: Enhanced support to AIDS prevention and care programme in north eastern states, India The Indian Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, Smt. Panabaka Lakshmi launched the Joint UN Programme on HIV and AIDS Prevention and Care in the North-Eastern States. This is a unique endeavour, which demonstrates a strong partnership between the Government of India, the UN system and the donors, the Governments of Australia and Sweden to improve the quality of and augment response to the HIV epidemic in North-East India. Shri Oscar Fernandes, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Labour & Employment was also present at the function. As part of the programme, a NACO sub-office has been established in Guwahati to provide enhanced support to the programme in the North-East and strengthen a decentralized response. The sub-office will report directly to NACO and work in tandem with the National Rural Health Mission. The overall operations of the Joint UN Programme will be governed by a Programme Steering Committee, chaired by the Director General, NACO. It will include the Team Leader of the NACO sub-office, State AIDS Control Societies, Project Directors, UN Resident Coordinator, UNAIDS Country Coordinator, Chair of UN Theme Group and representatives from the Governments of Australia and Sweden. The Australian Government has made available AUD 10 million (approximately USD 8 million) for a period of over 5 years (2007-2011) for technical assistance. This will be delivered through the UN system for four North-East States (Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland) and for the establishment of the NACO sub-office in Guwahati, Assam. The Government of Sweden will provide USD 650,000 over the three-year period (2006-2008), through the UN system. This will primarily be used for capacity building of civil society organisations in the North-Eastern region. =============================================================== 11. NACO launches sub-office in Guwahati (New Delhi) The Hindu, October 14, 2007. http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/13/stories/2007101356231100.htm New Delhi: NACO launches sub-office in Guwahati The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) on Friday launched the first ever sub-office at Guwahati in Assam to fight AIDS in the northeast region. The five year initiative supported with an $8.9 million grant from the Australian government will be jointly implemented with the help of U.N. agencies. The project will also receive $650,000 from the Swedish government for three years. Aimed at reducing the risk and impact of HIV and AIDS in the north-east, the key components of the initiative include capacity building, advocacy, care and support for women and children and developing innovative state-specific programmes. This includes reaching out to the far-flung districts by developing a network of services in partnership with the state machinery as well as other community-based service providers and engaging a community and social action to spread awareness about HIV. Launching the initiative, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Panabaka Lakshmi said the initiative was the culmination of the expressed needs of the northeast States. It demonstrated the close partnership between the government, the U.N. system and donor agencies to come together and strengthen the national response to HIV. Minister of State for Labour (independent charge) Oscar Fernandes, who is also convenor of the Parliamentarians Forum on HIV/AIDS was also present at the function, reiterated the governments commitment to fight the disease. Swedish Ambassador Lars-Olof Lindgren hoped that the project would strengthen the partnership between civil society organisations and the government to further the response to HIV and AIDS in the region. Two of the six high prevalent States Manipur and Nagaland are in the northeast. Estimates show that 30 per cent of the injecting drug users in the country are in this region. Injecting drug use is known to be one of the vulnerability factors for HIV. Although Assam and Meghalaya are low prevalence States, presence of other high risk groups and injecting drug use have been reported. =============================================================== Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in the above articles are those of the respective newspapers, not those of SAATHII.