Corporate India now takes the initiative to set up Anti Retroviral Centers (ARVs)

Under the Aegis of Project- Access to Care & Treatment (ACT), CII-IBT organized a conference on HIV/AIDS: Corporate India's Response to Care and Treatment on 30th March 2007 in New Delhi. Project- Access to Care & Treatment (ACT), has been initiated by CII along with four other NGO partners through a consortium approach. The consortium comprises of Population Foundation of India, Engender Health, Freedom Foundation, Indian Network of Positive People and CII.

The conference brought together the 5 partners to share the work each set out to do as part of their project including the successes, challenges and learnings. The conference also took the participants on a journey into the making and working of corporate ART centers-the first of their kind anywhere in the world, through an evocative film-‘My Right to Live’. The four centers set up so far include: ART Center at Wadi sponsored by ACC Cements, at Vellore in a partnership between ACC Cements-Christian Medical College, at Chandrapur by the Thapar group and at Vikhroli by Godrej group.

Speaking on the occasion, Gautam Thapar, Chairman and Managing Director, Ballarpur Industries said “ to combat AIDS which has penetrated our lives forces us to acknowledge its presence, corporate India has responded by having a workplace policy which includes a plethora of services which corporates have signed up for; Smart Cards which facilitate treatment and counseling, and now, with rising infections, access to treatment and care “.

Mr A Pathak, Business Head, South West ACC said “ACC has launched a first of its kind, state-of the-art stand alone ART Centre at Wadi. The decision to build this outside the ACC Township was to enable a larger percentage of population to have access to antiretroviral treatment.

Dr Rewari ART Consultant, National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) presented copies of recently released guidelines for ART centers, the training required, training curriculum and details of monitoring schedule.

The conference was well attended by over 200 participants from various corporate and civil society organizations.

Public Private Partnership actualized for HIV/AIDS treatment

In an historic move NACO has agreed, at CII’s behest, to provide free ARVs (Anti Retroviral Drugs) to the corporate ART centres being facilitated by CII for the treatment of HIV/AIDS patients in India. NACO has signed a MoU with ACC Ltd. – Wadi, Karnataka; ACC, CMC Trust, Vellore; BILT - Chandrapur, Maharashtra to provide free Diagnostic Kits (HIV/CD4), ARV Drugs (First Line) and Drugs for Opportunistic Infections. The centers will be recognized as NACO designates centers.

Eastern Region

Interactive Session with Students of Haldia Institute of Technology (HIT) on HIV/AIDS: Haldia
On March 9, 2007 at Haldia Institute of Technology (HIT), CII organised an interactive session with the students of HIT. It was a mixed group of Paramedical, Management and Biotechnology students. Prof. Anne Mijch, Prof. Margaret Hellard from Australia India Council (AIC), Australia and Dr Bibhuti Saha, Head Of Department for School of Tropical Medicine, Kolkata interacted with them with a brief presentation on HIV/AIDS followed by a question answer round.

73 students attended the interactive session. Some of the questions to the panel included:

• What is homosexuality?
• Whether MSM can get HIV?
• How to prevent HIV?
• HIV & TB is related or not?
• How do Transgender get HIV?
• What is the risk of HIV transmission in anal sex?

The feedback of the session was very good. According to students they have received a very basic idea on HIV/AIDS and were able to reduce their misconceptions on HIV/AIDS

Southern Region:

Intervention programme in Coca Cola, Chennai

An awarness session on HIV/AIDS was organised for Excutives of Coca cola.

The program was conducted in collaboration with Family Planning Association of India (FPAI). Ms Sujatha Natrajan was the main trainer. They were briefed on the prevention, treatment and care & support aspects of HIV/AIDS. The session was well attended by over 35 participants.


Advocacy Meet on: Business Response to HIV/AIDS

CII Southern Region organized an advocacy meet on business response to HIV/AIDS on the 21st April 2007. The objective of the workshop was to sensitise the CEOs of the companies.

Mr Premanathan, Chairman, CII Trichy Zone, gave the welcome address. He spoke about the initiatives taken by CII across the country for HIV/AIDS awareness among the industries. Mr Ashish Vachhani, IAS District collector, Trichy District also commended the work of CII in the area of HIV/AIDS prevention and said that all the industry bodies should be actively involved for the cause, as it attacks the work force of the country.

Stressing on the efforts the industries have to undertake, Wg Cmdr VK Vasudev, DGM - Corporate HR, Chandra Textiles, Coimbatore, spoke that each company should look into aspect of awareness, prevention and even care of those who are affected by it.

Dr O R Kumaran, Senior consultant, Apollo Hospital, Madurai briefed upon the prevalence, transmission and treatment of HIV/AIDS. He elaborated on the role of Anti Retro Virals and its benefits for the people who are HIV positive.

Mr Kanagarathinam Asst GM - HR, E.I.D Parry India Ltd discussed the work Murugappa group of companies are involved in and talked about the programmes on HIV/AIDS that they have conducted for the truckers and their supply chain.

The programme ended with the concluding remarks by Mr Annamalai, Vice Chairman, Trichy Zonal Council.

Around 40 participants attended the programme.