The Hindu : Other States / Orissa News : No positive response tos ‘Sathi’

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Sunday, Dec 02, 2007
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No positive response tos ‘Sathi’

Staff Reporter

Photo: Lingaraj Panda

College students raise slogans for prevention of AIDS at Berhampur. -

BERHAMPUR: Officialdom in the Orissa State AIDS Control Society (OSACS) proves to be hindrance for providing medical care to HIV positive persons.

‘Sathi’, a Community Care Center (CCC) for HIV positive persons at Bahadurpeta near the city was almost compelled to put down its shutters on Dec 1, the world AIDS day due to alleged indifference of the OSACS.

Thanks to the efforts of the Tata Steel Rural Development Society (TSRDS), Sathi, is still open to provide medical help to the HIV positive persons till OSACS decides anything regarding the future of the center.

Sathi was established on Nov 30, 2006 as a one year long project by the OSACS with active cooperation of TSRDS. Both organisations had entered into an agreement to run the center. Sathi has ten beds to facilitate 15 days stay of HIV positive persons for their medical and psychological treatments.

Although it was meant for HIV positive persons of Ganjam district, yet HIV inflicted persons from all parts of the state coming for Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) at MKCG medical college, were benefited by it.

Not a serious partner

But OSACS did not prove to be a serious partner. Dr Jayant Tripathy, a physician of Sathi said OSACS had not released funds for this center since last six months.

As the employees of the project were not getting their salaries released from OSACS since June this year, the TSRDS also provided funds for their salaries.

The TSRDS authorities made several requests to OSACS to decide something regarding the future of the center after completion of one year on Nov 30, 2007. But the OSACS authorities did not show any seriousness towards the project, alleged Dr Tripathy.

The OSACS authorities were still awaiting signals from NACO to decide upon the future of this center without thinking of the fate of HIV positive persons depending on it. But not to let the unit close down, the TSRDS has decided to run the center on it sown till OSACS and NACO make any alternative arrangement.

For the OSACS authorities the official renewal of the project involves new tender, new applications and scrutiny. The process has started.

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