by NR Indran / INT

Mumbai : World Vision India (WVI), at an interactive session here today urged the Government to immediately phase out Stavudine (d4T) from the first line regimen in tune with the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation owing to its long term irreversible toxicities / side effects. Also WVI has urged NACO to include Tenofovir (TDF) as preferred first line regimen as per WHO guidelines.

Further, People Living with HIV and AIDS (PLHIV) activists at the interactive session urged the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) to remove the 2^nd line antiretroviral therapy (ART) eligibility procedure from the control of State Aids Clinical Expert Panel (SACEP). Also, WVI urged the Government to create a platform for Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV / AIDS (GIPA) both at the State and National level in accordance with Paris Declaration, 1994.

World Vision India and children affected with HIV and AIDS from across Maharashtra deliberated the status of PLHIV in the State with special focus on children-related issues. The speakers unanimously demanded that all stakeholders communicate the charter of demands as widely as possible and create a common voice for children affected by HIV and AIDS. The activists besides seeking the above also urged the Government to implement on priority the following:

Ø Child & women specific diagnosis and easy access to quality care, support & treatment under

various social schemes of Government

Ø Scale-up of early warning indicators and drug resistance surveillance with follow-up

mechanisms for better health of children

Ø Nutritional support for HIV affected families from poor economic background

Ø Strengthening the Prevention  of Parent to Child Transmission (PPTCT) programme with proper

follow-up for mother & infant and scaling –up of PPTCT programme at all private clinics

Ø Speedy process of treatment & care for children with close monitoring of all children on ART

Ø An effective counseling for positive mothers on child care

Ø Reduction of stigma for the children in health care set up & access to counseling & social  protection

Participating in the interactive session, Mr. Reni Jacob, Advocacy Director, World Vision India, said the passing of the long pending HIV and AIDS bill in its original form will contribute to reducing the epidemic and will also protect the rights of people living with HIV, including children affected and infected.

The PLHIV activists also pointed out that while NACO’s intention behind SACEP may be novel in terms of building capacity of doctors and strengthening institutional infrastructure, but the ground reality is dramatically different. Owing to NACO’s SACEP guidelines 2^nd line treatment modalities is getting affected and also timely intervention is proving to be a big challenge.

With universal access to the 2^nd line ART and early infant diagnosis programme in an advanced stage of national roll out, it becomes important that delays owing to SACEP procedures do not affect treatment protocols. Likewise, it becomes imperative that drugs recommended for 2^nd line ART are within the norms stipulated by WHO, they added.

According to Ms Daisy David, Advocacy Associate, World Vision India, “Greater involvement of People Living with HIV (GIPA) would go a long way in reducing the myths around the disease, reducing the burden of isolation and generating increased social, legal and political commitment for HIV / AIDS programs”. Further, she added, GIPA is the need of the hour as policy measures are aimed at reducing the spread of HIV and mitigate its impact on the marginalized & most vulnerable section of the society.

Also with NACO keen on integrating programmes for prevention, care, support and treatment, WVI is of the view that securing community involvement through PLHIV would not only strengthen HIV prevention but help all stakeholders to scale up the treatment & care programmes. Against this backdrop WVI urges the Government to create a platform for GIPA both at the State and National level, she added.

It may be noted that India has 2.5 million HIV/AIDS patients who more often than not have to battle discrimination and social ostracism at various levels. Against this backdrop World Vision India along with other partner organizations is having interactive sessions so as to create awareness amongst various stake holders and sensitize the civil society and also relevant Government authorities.

World Vision India:

World Vision India is a Christian humanitarian organization working to create lasting change in the lives of children, families and communities living in poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, caste, race, ethnicity or gender.  Spread across 174 locations in India, World Vision works through long-term sustainable community development programmes and immediate disaster relief assistance.

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