The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Visakhapatnam News : Saadhan celebrates third anniversary

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 03, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

Saadhan celebrates third anniversary

Staff Reporter

Clinic playing vital role in AIDS prevention

VISAKHAPATNAM: Saadhan Clinic, started here by the Population Services International (PSI), is celebrating its third anniversary. Established in 1988, with a mandate to assist the Government of India in the fields of HIV/AIDS prevention and maternal and child health, PSI is an Indian non-profit and non-Governmental organisation.

The clinic provides high quality services of voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) at a subsidised fee of Rs. 25 and free diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections (STI). The VCT centre has experienced counsellors who are regularly trained on the subject and offer pre- and post-test counselling, according to PSI senior project manager Kallol Mukherjee.

Medical monitoring

Besides, the clinic has an STI specialist who provides STI management and medical monitoring for HIV-positive people. All the services at the clinic are kept completely confidential. As part of providing care and support for the HIV-positive, special linkages have been developed with Government organisations and other NGOs.

Saadhan Clinic is a part of the PSI's port-based STI/HIV/AIDS intervention in the country called Operation Lighthouse (OLH). The programme includes operations in 12 major ports in the country with the objective of reducing the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the port cities. OLH covers millions of people every year, specifically those vulnerable in the lower socio-economic group, by providing information, services, and products that they need to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS.

PSI also implements effective communication strategies to change behaviour. Any information on HIV/AIDS can be had by dialling the Saadhan helpline 2552222.

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