********************************************************** SAATHII Electronic Newsletter HIV NEWS FROM INDIA Source: e-pao.net, DNA, Indiapost.com, Patna Daily, The Indian Express, The Economic Times, Livemint.com, and Medindia.net Posted on: 13/02/2008 COMPILED BY: Jacob Boopalan, 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. Convention on HIV/AIDS reiterates call on masses e-pao.net, February 10, 2008. http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=3..100208.feb08 2. NACO questions governmental bodies over HIV/AIDS project DNA, February 10, 2008. http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1150049 3. Petition urges India to provide healthcare for HIV/AIDS children Indiapost.com, February 10, 2008. http://indiapost.com/article/healthscience/2025/ 4. AIDS Awareness Program for Speech and Hearing Challenged Patna Daily, Februray 10, 2008. http://www.patnadaily.com/news2008/feb/021008/aids_awareness_program.html 5. Aware of HIV but few in rural areas go for tests The Indian Express, February 10, 2008. http://www.indianexpress.com/story/271617.html 6. J&J gets patent for ARV drug Etravirine The Economic Times, February 11, 2008. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/JJ_gets_patent_for_ARV_drug_Etravirine/articleshow/2771987.cms 7. South India is not faring any better DNA, February 11, 2008. http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1150195 8. Ranbaxy challenges decision to grant patent for Valcyte Livemint.com, February 11, 2008. http://www.livemint.com/2008/02/11002540/Ranbaxy-challenges-decision-to.html 9. Three city AIDS NGOs fail the NACO test DNA India, February 11, 2008. http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1150194 10. Research Throws Light On New Receptor for HIV Medindia.net, February 11, 2008. http://www.medindia.net/news/Research-Throws-Light-On-New-Receptor-for-HIV-32883-1.htm =============================================================== 1. Convention on HIV/AIDS reiterates call on masses e-pao.net, February 10, 2008. http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=3..100208.feb08 Imphal, February 09: A one-day Constituency level convention on HIV/AIDS held at THAU Sports complex here today has given a clarion call on the need to revise the existing State policy on HIV/AIDS and evoke the collective consciousness of every section of the society to join hands in fighting the epidemic. Organised under the joint aegis of the Organising Committee for One-day Convention on HIV/AIDS (Thangmeiband Assembly Constituency) and Manipur Legislators' Forum along with the support of UNAIDS, the meet expressed serious concern over the increasing threat HIV/AIDS pose on the general population of this tiny hill-locked State vis-a-vis the inadequacy of the State machineries to arrest this disturbing new development. Among the resource persons of the convention, former Project Director of MACS and NACO consultant Dr Khomdon Lisham who presented a paper on 'Changing scenario of HIV/AIDS in Manipur Problems and issues', observed that AIDS is the No.1 killer of young people in the State today. The number of people in Manipur who are in their prime and productive period of life falling prey to AIDS is steadily surpassing figure of those fallen to gun, he said, adding that out of the total number of 27,961 HIV positive patients living in the State (as recorded upto October, 2007), 56 percent are in the age group of 15 to 30 . Moreover, along with a perceptible change in the mode of its spread from injecting drug use to sexual transmission, the invasion of the killer virus among the general population calls for an urgent need to revise the existing State AIDS policy and mainstreaming of the ongoing effort, Dr Khomdon said. In this regard, he suggested that State Government accord top priority in combating the killer disease on the line of other forward States like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra and bring about some modification in the existing guidelines on Local Area Development Fund of the legislators so as to encourage them to take initiatives. Speaking on 'Women and child issues related with HIV/AIDS', chief functionary of Integrated Women and Child Development Centre Annie Mangsatabam pointed out that the existing State AIDS policy needs to incorporate more women and child specific programmes in view of fact that more and more women and children have been affected. The figure of HIV/AIDS infection among the women has spiralled up to 35 percent as against 16 percent among the IDUs, she said. Project Director of MACS Dr Kh Pramodkumar and Mr Manipur Kh Pradeepkumar also spoke as resource persons of the convention on the topic of 'Present scenario of HIV/AIDS in Manipur' and 'Positive Living' respectively. Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly and chairman of Manipur Legislators' Forum on HIV/AIDS Dr S Budhichandra Singh and chairman of the organising committee MLA Radhabinod Koijam graced the convention as chief guest and president respectively. In his presidential address, Radhabinod assured that some portion of the fund from his MLA Local Area Development Fund would be set aside for the cause of fighting against HIV/AIDS. Forum member MLA Dr H Borajao Singh and IMC chairperson Jiwanlata were also present at the occasion as guests of honour. Towards the end of the convention, an interaction session was also facilitated between the participants numbering around 200 and the resource persons with Dr S Manikanta Singh as the moderator. =============================================================== 2. NACO questions governmental bodies over HIV/AIDS project DNA, February 10, 2008. http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1150049 NGOs allege government agencies demanded bribe for implementing the project MUMBAI: The National AIDS Control Organisation’s (NACO) enquiry into the alleged misuse of funds meant for HIV/AIDS projects in Maharashtra may open a can of worms for the bureaucracy. It may be recollected that a recent World Bank report exposed glaring discrepancies in the National AIDS Control Programme-II in Mumbai and Maharashtra. It revealed lack of financial control over the money given to the NGOs, improper selection of NGOs and rampant demand for bribe. A team of officials from NACO came down from Delhi on Friday to collect evidence from the non-governmental organisations on whether they had ever faced harassment of any form from the governmental agencies. And the answer was a resounding “yes” from the NGOs. The NACO is trying to collect evidences of corruption against Maharashtra State AIDS Control Society (MSACS) that implements the AIDS programmes at the state level, and the Mumbai District AIDS Control Society (MDACS) that works for the city. The functioning of these two nodal bodies has already been questioned in the World Bank report. Three of the NGOs alleged that they backed out of the AIDS project as they could not afford to bribe officials and thus, failed to bag any of the programmes. “We had to let go of projects as some of the MDACS officials demanded 10-20 per cent of the project money funded by the NACO,” said one of the NGOs, requesting anonymity. The officials demanded bribe at every step and if refused, delayed their payments by several months, the member added. Some of the NGOs also claimed that “external consultants” were thriving in the HIV/AIDS business. “There are consultants who provide readymade projects to the NGOs with a promise that they would get it sanctioned from the MDACS as well,” said another NGO member. “Even these consultants demand about 20 per cent of the sanctioned funds meant for the project,” the member added. NACO’s National Programme Advisor Dr Samarjit Jana admitted that informal complaints against the MDACS and MSACS always existed. “But, we never had officially documented complaints against them,” he said. The World Bank’s report gave them the much-needed reason to initiate enquiry against the policy-makers themselves. When questioned, Dr Prakash Sabde, project director of MSACS, refused to talk on the issue. “I am not in a position to comment on this,” he said. Even the project director of MDACS, Dr Nirupa Borges, said that she had no details about the allegations made by the NGOs. There are 22 NGOs functioning under the MDACS. =============================================================== 3. Petition urges India to provide healthcare for HIV/AIDS children Indiapost.com, February 10, 2008. http://indiapost.com/article/healthscience/2025/ NEW YORK: The Stop HIV/AIDS in India Initiative (SHAII) has released a petition addressed to the President of India during a special event to commemorate the 58th anniversary of India's Republic Day at The National Geographic Society. The petition urges the Indian government to fulfill its long neglected commitment to provide for the proper health and development of all of its children, especially Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC). The petition calls upon the Indian government to ensure that 80% of HIV positive and vulnerable children are cared for by 2010 in accordance with the guidelines provided by UNICEF; strengthen the community based quality support to achieve the targets; and promote policies to explicitly protect public health medicines of national and international importance such as anti-retroviral drugs. It was 58 years ago when a newly independent India pledged in its constitution to take care of its young people. Yet in a country where 70,000 children are infected with HIV and more than 1.2 million have lost parents to the disease, the pledge has been largely unfulfilled. Out of 70,000 children living with HIV, less than 3,000 are getting medical treatment. And 21,000 are born with HIV each year through mother-to-child transmission for lack of services including access to preventive medication. Currently, much of the world's population affected by HIV/AIDS relies on generic medications produced in India. At a time when there is a need to promote production of low-cost Indian medicines to bridge the gap between availability and need of medicines, India and other generic producers continue to face threats that place profit above public health. The US government, supporting multinational pharmaceutical corporations, continues to pressure India to enact laws protecting intellectual property that will ultimately result in the demise of public health, particularly as a consequence of HIV. "The Indian community's voice in (Washington) D.C. is not often heard. SHAII is working at a grassroots level in the U.S. and in India to try to fill this void and make the Indian presence in Washington more effective," said Dr. Mohan Bhagat of the Association for India's Development. While UNAID's revised estimates of the number of people living with HIV released this year have created a lot of uncertainty at the grassroots level, the plight of India's OVC, a missing picture in this story, remains poorly documented and addressed. Recently, the SHAII team undertook a five week-long mission to India to explore the in-country advocacy needs of OVC's in India. The tour included visits to grassroots level organizations in several states and the nation's capital. Based on this trip, SHAII, in partnership with Global Action for Children, will release a policy brief in April 2008. SHAII, through these efforts, is working to catalyze an aggressive advocacy effort to ignite both a national and an international response in order to advance the well-being of Indian OVCs, specifically regarding their access to healthcare. "Six decades ago, there was high hope that children would have better lives in independent India , but that has remained only a dream." said Vineeta Gupta, executive director of SHAII. "With every passing day the number of street children and those sold into the sex trade is increasing, making these children more susceptible to HIV. At SHAII, we are working with International advocates to influence polices both in the US and India to fulfill these promises." =============================================================== 4. AIDS Awareness Program for Speech and Hearing Challenged Patna Daily, Februray 10, 2008. http://www.patnadaily.com/news2008/feb/021008/aids_awareness_program.html Regional AIDS Training Center and Network in India (RATNEI) under the banner of International Health Organization (IHO), in Patna on Sunday, for the first time in Bihar organized an HIV AIDS awareness program for the speech and hearing impaired at the Rotary building in the state capital. With the aid of a sign language interpreter, noted physician and IHO director Dr. Diwakar Tejaswi answered the queries of the guests concerning HIV AIDS, its effect, and ways to avoid and treat it. The event was organized in collaboration with Rotary Pataliputra, Rotary Patna, and Bihar Association of the Deaf and was attended by prominent physician Dr. C. L. Khandelwal, Professor Anand Murti, Vice President of the Deaf Association of India, and Rotary Pataliputra president Anil Saraf. =============================================================== 5. Aware of HIV but few in rural areas go for tests The Indian Express, February 10, 2008. http://www.indianexpress.com/story/271617.html Pune: Even though India is among the nations having the highest number of AIDS cases in the world, very few women in its rural backyard go for an Elisa test during pregnancy to detect the deadly HIV virus. In fact, very few women are even aware of the existence of voluntary counselling and testing facilities, despite a Government policy to expand ante-natal HIV screening and prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV virus. Approximately 60 per cent of the country's HIV cases occur in rural areas, and married women of childbearing age are considered a highly vulnerable population, who generally acquire the virus primarily through their husbands' pre- and extramarital sexual behaviour. According to a study conducted jointly by Institute of Health Management, Pachod, Maharashtra and John Hopkins School of Medicine, USA, awareness among rural women about HIV testing centres is extremely low. The study was conducted among 60,000 individuals in Aurangabad district where at least one per cent of pregnant women have tested HIV positive in ante-natal clinic sentinnel surveillance sites. The nearest Government-sanctioned Voluntary Counselling Test Centre is located 50 kilometres away at the district hospital. Conducted between January and March 2006, around 400 pregnant women were questioned regarding HIV awareness, risk and history of antenatal HIV testing. While 87 per cent had heard of HIV virus, 84 per cent were aware of condoms while 72 per cent knew that consistent condom use is an effective way of preventing AIDS. Around 84 per cent knew that HIV can be sexually transmitted. However, despite this knowledge of HIV, only 6 per cent of women in the study could correctly name an HIV testing facility. Furthermore, only 8 per cent reported receiving HIV counselling during pregnancy, and only 3 per cent of women had an HIV test done. However, one positive thing was that women in the current study had much better knowledge of HIV than women in the one conducted in 2001. Over the past several years, community and government efforts have increased rural women's HIV awareness, says Dr A Dayalchand, Director of IHMP. Still, two significant barriers exist, namely, lack of discussion by antenatal care providers about HIV and lack of awareness of HIV testing services, including VCT. Few women could correctly name a HIV testing facility or reported awareness of VCT. Furthermore, only half of HIV test utilizers reported receiving associated counselling. =============================================================== 6. J&J gets patent for ARV drug Etravirine The Economic Times, February 11, 2008. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/JJ_gets_patent_for_ARV_drug_Etravirine/articleshow/2771987.cms NEW DELHI: US major Johnson and Johnson (J&J) has been granted a patent for its anti retroviral drug (ARV) Etravirine in India—the second anti-ARV drug to be patented in India. Pfizer, the world’s largest drug maker, received a patent for Maravoric last year, which made it the country’s first patented ARV drug. The drug got the US Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval in January 2008. J&J received the Indian patent from the Mumbai patent office recently, according to patent attorney Varoon Chhonkar, who tracks pharma patents in India. The drug already has a US patent and is used in combination with anti-HIV drugs to treat patients who develop resistance to multiple HIV drug medication. The drug is marketed by Tibotec Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, under the brand name Intelence. It is not immediately known the kind of impact J&J’s approval will have in India which has 3 million HIV patients in the country. Experts say that the drug could help prolong the use of a particular drug in a patient. However, being a new drug its efficacy and relevance in developing countries like India is yet to be tested. NGOs and patient groups are studying the possible impact of the patent before deciding whether to file a post patent opposition against the drug. Interestingly, industry sources claimed out that J&J may use the approval not only to target the Indian market but also as a tool to stop any Indian generic competitor from manufacturing cheap copies of the drug and exporting it globally. Similarly, a patent in India will also make J&J case much stronger when it seeks patent in other developing countries. Since India became Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) compliant in 1995, manufacturers can patent their products in India and enjoy a monopoly over marketing that product for 20 years. Global pharma companies have been aggressively filing patent applications across the country and some of them have been successful in getting patent protection in the country. However, patient groups and NGOs have been strongly opposing many application saying that the drugs are not new products but mere innovations. =============================================================== 7. South India is not faring any better DNA, February 11, 2008. http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1150195 Staff meant to spread awareness about HIV/AIDS is ignorant about basics, finds survey It's not just the Mumbai-based NGOs that are getting the stick. Several groups in South India, which aim to spread awareness about HIV/AIDS, are facing flak for not practising what they preach. If a study conducted by Netherlands-based NGO Stop AIDS Now (San) is to be believed, NGOs meant to educated corporates and masses about HIV/AIDS are ignorant, even insensitive about the issues and towards the people they are dealing with. The study, conducted across Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu on 45 NGOs working in Aids awareness, education, poverty alleviation, and eradication of child labour, found that most NGOs did not have a policy to deal with HIV/AIDS-affected staff at the workplace. “It was shocking to find that most staff at these NGOs was under the influence of the commoner's belief that Aids spreads only through sexual intercourse and hence their attitude came as a blockage for bias-free work among the affected,” said Saud Akhtar, India-based programme coordinator for San. “Today, everyone is vulnerable to Aids, not just people who are in the flesh trade. Our experiences in Africa suggest that early intervention has been negated by lack of skilled and experienced staff. Only three out of the 45 NGOs we surveyed in India had enforced an effective workplace policy,” Akhtar explained. Sangama, one of the 45 NGOs, which targets the high-risk community of gays, lesbians, transsexuals and bisexuals, concentrated only on fighting for the rights of the community. “We did not even think of HIV/AIDS prevention through a workplace policy till San approached us. After eight years of forming the group, we have begun thinking of documenting a policy,” said Reginal Watts, executive director of Sangama in Bangalore. =============================================================== 8. Ranbaxy challenges decision to grant patent for Valcyte Livemint.com, February 11, 2008. http://www.livemint.com/2008/02/11002540/Ranbaxy-challenges-decision-to.html Valganciclovir, an anti-infection drug prescribed for HIV/AIDS and organ transplantation-related infections, is the basic compound in Valcyte Mumbai: Adding fuel to an existing patent controversyinvolving Swiss drug maker F Hoffman-La Roche Ltd’s anti-infection drug Valcyte in India, the country’s largest drug company by revenue, Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd, has legally challenged the Chennai patent office’s decision to grant a patent for the drug. The Indian patent for Valcyte has been controversial as it was granted without hearing an opposition filed by two non-governmental organizations (NGOs)—the Indian Network for People Living with HIV/AIDS and the Tamil Nadu Networking People with HIV/AIDS. Ranbaxy filed a post-grant opposition in the Chennai patent office last week questioning the validity of the Valcyte patent here as the drug was not proved for enhanced efficacy than what is already known. Indian patent law, which was last amended in 2004 just before the country restarted product patents for drugs, doesn’t allow patent for drugs that are already known, unless they are proved for substantial improvement in treatment quality. Mint had on 15 January first reported a US Patent and Trademark Office’s decision to deny a patent for valganciclovir back in 1994 because the drug had been in the so-called public domain for three years then, exposing the controversial decision of the Chennai patent office to grant a patent for the same drug here in 2007. Valganciclovir, an anti-infection drug prescribed for HIV/AIDS and organ transplantation-related infections, is the basic compound in Valcyte. The US Patent and Trademark Office document also shows that while the original Roche claim for a comprehensive patent was indeed rejected, a patent was granted to the crystalline form of the drug based on findings that the crystalline modification eases the manufacturing process for the drug. Ranbaxy’s patent attorney Laxmi Kumaran confirmed that a post-grant opposition has been filed at the Chennai patent office. This comes after the Mumbai-based law firm Lawyers Collective, which filed a pre-grant opposition to Roche’s patent application in 2006, contested the patent grant saying it was denied a hearing. Another generic drug maker Cipla Ltd had also said that it would contest the patent by filing a post-grant opposition though it hasn’t yet done so. Lawyers Collective is likely to contest the grant in the Madras high court. Roche, which is currently fighting another patent case at the Delhi high court against Cipla for alleged infringement of its Indian patent for a cancer drug Tarceva, could not be contacted as its office was closed for the weekend. Valcyte was granted a patent in India in June 2007. An interested party has time until June to oppose the grant on valid grounds. Though there are no domestic generic brands of this drug launched in India so far, Cipla has plans to come out with a generic version soon, Cipla’s managing director Amar Lulla had said in an earlier interview. A Ranbaxy executive, who doesn’t want to be identified, also said, “The company may launch a cheaper version of Valcyte in the domestic market.” Roche charges around $9,900 (Rs3.92 lakh) for a three-month treatment of valganciclovir although it has reduced the price to $1,800 for NGOs and customers in Africa and some other countries in the developing world. =============================================================== 9. Three city AIDS NGOs fail the NACO test DNA India, February 11, 2008. http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1150194 The World Bank had warned of a possibility of fraudulent practices in projects supervised by the National Aids Control Organisation. This was borne out by an annual evaluation, which found three Mumbai-based NGOs wanting. The groups have been blacklisted and will no longer get funds for their activities The National Aids Control Organisation (Naco) has blacklisted three Mumbai-based non-governmental organisations (NGOs), for failing to meet the required standards. The adverse performance appraisal came as part of the annual evaluation conducted on 27 NGOs, which get funds from the Mumbai District Aids Control Society (MDACS). The evaluation rated Sanmitra Trust, working with non-brothel, floating sex workers, as the best under MDACS. Contracts for the SNS Foundation, People’s Health Organisation, and Humsaya Welfare Society were terminated after the three scored less than 15 points on a scale of 35. These NGOs were found lagging in project implementation, commitment and staffing. One was even found guilty of getting the same proposal approved over and over again, with slight modifications. Following the World Bank’s warning against possible fraudulent practices in the National Aids Control Project (NACP) II, NACO has strengthened its monitoring of NGOs. While a separate inquiry over the World Bank’s Detailed Implementation Report is on, NACO has put in place safety measures prior to the launch of NACP III. The nationwide evaluation was conducted between April and June 2007, following which the number of NGOs receiving government funding was substantially reduced. Over 250 NGOs, which failed to meet the parameters set by NACO, were blacklisted. “The evaluation gave us a clear picture of who is working and who is not,” said NACO chief K Sujata Rao. “We were able to check fraudulent claims and based on the evaluation, we weeded out corrupt, non-performing and inefficient NGOs.” Rao said supervision of NGOs would be far more vigorous from now. “Each November, a three-member committee will inspect if NGOs deserve continuation of support,” she said. “Those that are good can continue, but poor performers will have no place.” According to the new evaluation system, NGOs scoring lower than 15 are considered under-performers warranting a serious review while those scoring between 15 and 25 will be recommended for continuation with suggestions and benchmarks for improvement within a timeline. Groups scoring above 25 are considered to be good. SNS Foundation, working with migrant workers, scored 14, Humsaya Welfare Society, working with men having sex with men (MSM), got 11 points, while People’s Health Organisation, involved with taxi drivers, scored 10. =============================================================== 10. Research Throws Light On New Receptor for HIV Medindia.net, February 11, 2008. http://www.medindia.net/news/Research-Throws-Light-On-New-Receptor-for-HIV-32883-1.htm A new human receptor called integrin alpha 4 beta 7 that helps the HIV virus in attacking the body’s immune system has been identified. Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who headed the research team said, “It is a homing receptor for lymphocytes to get to the gut. It is the very molecule that steers lymphocytes to the gut and keeps them there." The human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, attacks immune system cells, or lymphocytes, known as CD4 T-cells. Earlier studies have shown that the HIV uses three main receptors, or molecular doorways, to infect cells: CD4 was identified as a HIV receptor in 1984, CCR5 and CXCR4 were identified in 1996. A similar receptor called integrin alpha 4 beta 7 has been found by Dr. Fauci, James Arthos, Claudia Cicala, Elena Martinelli and their colleagues. After the HIV virus enters the body, this receptor helps it to reach the gut or intestine. A protein on the virus’s envelope, or outer shell, sticks to a molecule in the receptor. Much of the body's immune response takes place in the gut, in gut-associated lymphoid tissue, or GALT. Once the HIV is in the gut, the virus begins to replicate and attack the body’s immune system. Scientists have been experimenting to identify receptors because they offer targets for the development of new classes of drugs. For example, last year the Food and Drug Administration approved for AIDS treatment a Pfizer drug, Selzentry or maraviroc, which works by blocking CCR5. Dr. Fauci said that a number of experimental drugs that block the integrin alpha-4 beta-7 receptor are being tested for the treatment of autoimmune disorders. According to him such drugs should also be studied for making headway in AIDS treatment. For example, Tysabri (natalizumab) that is used to treat multiple sclerosis, could be explored for its potential in AIDS treatment, he said. Biogen/Elan makes Tysabri. Dr. Warner C. Greene, an AIDS expert and the director of the Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology who was not involved in the research, called the findings “an important advance in the field.” “They begin to shed light on the mysterious process on why the virus preferentially grows in the gut,” he said in an interview. Some of the ways in which HIV is known to infect the body are, through sexual intercourse, blood transfusions and blood contamination of needles and syringes, There is no known cure for AIDS. More than 33 million people are infected with HIV globally and 25 million have died of AIDS. There is no vaccine to prevent AIDS. =============================================================== Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in the above articles are those of the respective newspapers, not those of SAATHII.