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THE STORY SO FAR NEWS from Concern for AIDS Research and Education(CARE Foundation)
Dear Friends, At the out set I wish you a happy and prosperous new year and all the best for the 2009. Last year the C.A.R.E. foundation launched its first programme in Namakkal town,a district in south india by setting up a CARE Health Center(CHC).It was functional from May 2008. The objective is Women and children living with HIV/AIDS a priority
Clinic for HIV positive women
In the past seven months 345 HIV positive women attended the biweekly women's clinic.They were seen by a women medical officer and following clinical examination they were sent for chest x-rays, Pap smears and liver function tests.Approximately half of them are receiving ART from the Govt hospital and the others have to wait for their turn!Some of them do not have their CD4counts.
We intend to provide additional clincial care to ensure that they are free from Tuberculosis,undernutrition and provide appropriate mangement of their oppurtunistic infections. Of 67 papsmears, 3 women require further treatement.One women had IRIS.One women who had procidentia for three years was not operated because she was HIV positive was provided support for surgery in a private hospital.There are several women requiring surgeries of one kind or other but unable to find a hospital that will provide this service. Health care workers still have a fear handling PLHA!
Clinical care Camps for children
Children's camps are held once a month and both infected and affected are brought by mothers and grand parents. After counselling and clincal examination they are provided lunch and most require bus fares as they are below poverty line. All have chest x-rays and haemoglobin tests.Worm treatment and mutivitamines along with other Medicines are provided free of cost. Till date 289 children accessed the services of the CHC.
Chidren reffered to tertiary insitutions for specialist advice on management
Four children were reffered to Christian medical college hospital to the Developmental pediatrics unit for further treatment and advise on management.
Thatha Patty day (Grandparents day)
The number of grandparents as care givers is on an increase and these special occations is a time to laugh and cry with others and share their problems with one another. By these events,the issue of "Grandparents as care givers" has been brought in to open and more needs to be done.
Visitng volunteers
Hemoglobin levels are measured in adolescent school girls in both private and public schools and the results are written up.
Staff of the CHC
Studies are undertaken in children affected by HIV/AIDS for undernutrition and tuberculosis.
Pap smear studies are being written up
Acceptability of Nurtitional supplements by PLHA
Child centered counselling approaches is under way
Christmas in Namakkal-December 23 2008
Mr.Sagayam district collector along with his wife Mrs.Vimala Sagayam participated in the christmas celebration on Decemebr 23 at Nala hotel. It was good to see our PLHA along with their children partcipated in the programme. Two physicians of Namakkal-one from the private and another from the public sector were awarded" leadership awards in HIV/AIDS for 2008" .the award carried a citation and a gold medal. Leadership is important in the battle against HIV/AIDS. All our clients receievd a gift and had high tea before their retun to their homes
Education
ART course for grass root health care providers is slated
ART ---for PLHA
Laboratory to monitor STI, CD4 counts,Liver function tests and glucose levels
Studies on stigma and discrimination
Kolli hill project-a tribal area
Eye care for children and Elderly Care givers
Setting up of Institutional Ethical committee (IEC)
The District collector,Mr.Sagayam and his staff
Advisors
Center for Church and Global AIDS Dr.Donald Messer and Pam Merrill
Friends of Namakkal from Laveta Ms.Betty Brown
KIS,Munich Dr.Hans Jager
University of Regensburg Dr.Bernd Sch
Bethany Luthern church Julie white and Sue Ann
Thank you for your support and for your guidance,Have a wonderful 2009
On behalf of the CARE foundation
Dr.N.M.Samuel
POONUSAMY'S HOME Pam Merril visited Namakkal in November, 2008. The La Veta Friends of Namakkal were anxious to hear a report on the state of Poonusamy's home. Our team that visited in June-2008, had put into motion a plan for him to have a new concrete house. His thatch hut was falling down around him and we were concerned for him when the rainy season arrived and how wet the inside of his home would be. We now have photos of the completed project. Many lessons were learned during this project. The main lesson was even though we thought we were helping someone, we actually caused a lot of problems for several people. Next time we'll know not to jump into something without investigating it thoroughly!
The new concrete hut!
A good, strong roof.
A new kitchen area
The facts about the global AIDS crisis are staggering. Every eight seconds someone dies of AIDS. A child dies of AIDS nearly every minute of every day. There are 30 million people living with AIDS worldwide, and infections in India and Central Asia have increased dramatically in the past two years. Yet all is not doom and gloom. Hope is on the horizon, with possibilities for providing persons with education about prevention, care and treatment. Anti-retoviral treatments are becoming more available, and the growth of new infections is being curbed.
The people of La Veta United Methodist Church, The United Church of Walsenburg and the loving support of many communities want to be a part of this hopeful trend. They sent a mission team of five women to India to work in AIDS Clinics in Chennai and Namakkal under the auspices of the Center for the Church and Global AIDS, an interfaith organization dedicated to reaching out to persons infected and affected by HIV and AIDS in the world through programs of education, prevention, care and treatment. The women and men of La Veta UMC and others from the community had a fundraiser for the mission team. They cooked and served an Indian dinner to a sold out crowd. Don Messer, Executive Director of the Center for the Church and Global AIDS and President Emeritus at the Iliff School of Theology, was the guest speaker. It was a great evening. With generous donations from the community and elsewhere, the mission team of Betty Brown, J. Patterson, Peggy Arnold-Hoobler, Irene Heikes and Karen Clouse were able to give over $6,000 to the CARE Clinic in Namakkal. They also donated to a little girl who has arthritis caused by her HIV and they helped another man rebuild his home. They are continuing to spread the word about Namakkal and are available for speaking engagements. Contact them by calling 719-742-3241 or emailing bettybe49@hotmail.com.
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