Success Stories in Care Giving for HIV/AIDS:

South Asia

Presented by FEZANA

(Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America)

at the UN 53rd Commission on the Status of Women -March 4, 2009

Introduction of Presenters

•Presented at the UN 53rd Commission on the Status of Women -March 4, 2009

Farah Minwalla: Columnist for the FEZANA Journal.

Trity Pourbahrami: Community builder and Past Youth President of FEZANA.

Kamalrukh Katrak: Member of Bel-Air Benefit Foundation, Participated in an advisory roll for the new

College of Nursing construction.

Deena Patel: Member of Bel-Air Benefit Foundation.

FEZANA

• Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America – Umbrella organization for 26 Associations in North

America

• Equal sharing of responsibilities between men and women is central to the Zoroastrian faith

• Supports humanitarian efforts internationally including the Bel-Air project

• www.fezana.org

The Success Story:

Bel-Air Hospital in India

Project of Indian Red Cross Society, Maharashtra State Branch

Managed by Missionary Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament

BEL-AIR“…some say is a model for AIDS care in the

developing world” NPR morning Edition, July 6, 2007

Bel-Air Contact InformationMrs. Homai N. ModiHon. SecretaryIndian Red Cross SocietyMaharashtra State BranchTel: + 91 22 22 64 46 41Fax: + 91 22 22 693956E-mail: homaimodi @ yahoo.co.in

Father Tomy K. MCBSBel-Air Hospital Mobile Tel: +91 9422606672Tel: + 91 2168 – 241109 / 240639

Fax: 241897E-mail: belair @ vsnl . com

Website: www.belairpanchgani.org

Prof. Minu K Patel & Dr. Mehroo PatelBel-Air Benefit Foundation,(708) 409-9361 E-mail: mkp @ uic . edu

Dr. Manohar Jethani,Ribbon Foundation, Chicago1977 Quincy Ct, Glendale Heights, IL 60179

NPR morning edition July 6, 2007

“Health care professionals come from all over the world to see how Father Tomy

Karyilakulam has transformed a rundown hospital into an advanced-care facility for

AIDS and TB Patients”

Why Bel-Air Hospital?

HIV IN INDIA

• 2 to 3 million people infected with HIV in India

• 38% are women

• TB is the leading cause of HIV-related deaths

source: UNAIDS/WHO 2008

STATISTICS:

HIV in Maharashtra

sour

ce:

UIC

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Bel-Air

HIV in Maharashtra

source: UIC 2005

• It is one of the worst hit states in the country.Satara district has 4% prevalence rate. (India: 0.3% prevalence rate)

Bel-Air

HIV in Maharashtra

sour

ce:

UIC

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• Migration to big cities is linked to unsafe sex practices.

HIV in Maharashtra

sour

ce:

UIC

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• Long distance truck drivers having sex with female sex trade workers contributes to the spread of HIV in rural areas

Bel-Air

HIV in Maharashtra

sour

ce:

UIC

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• Estimated 40% of female sex trade workers are HIV positive.

Bel-Air

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Bel- Air Sanatorium-

“…amidst thick forest on top of a mountain”

Bel-Air Hospital in Panchgani IndiaMISSIONPART I

To provide affordable, nondiscriminatory care to people

with TB and HIV/AIDS.Compassion and Care For All.

PART II

Hospital and community center that provides charity care when needed, without depending solely on charity

itself.

Bel-Air History• Started in 1912 as a

TB sanatorium in the hills of Panchgani: 44 acre “health resort”

• Handed over to the Indian Red Cross Society in 1964

• Started admitting HIV/AIDS patients in 1994

play first part of video “ Vision and Mission of Bel-Air Panchgani (0-3.50 mins)

Bel-Air Hospital in Panchgani India

ACHIEVEMENT

As Noticed by NPR, Morning addition, July 6, 2007

“… Bel-Air… has achieved what no other rural hospital in India has done:.. has assembled the latest technology and doctors needed to practice sophisticated Western-style medicine. This led to (the) ability to get access to government-controlled supply of drugs to fight HIV”

MISSION: PART I

To provide affordable, nondiscriminatory care to

people with TB and HIV/AIDS.

Compassion and Care For All.

BEL-AIR: Facilities Provided

• 250 bed hospital• Staff of 150 including

– 24 doctors (male and female) ,– 60 nurses (female)

• Well equipped Pathological Laboratory, CD4 Count Machine, Operation Theatre with Laparoscopy, X-ray-USG Machines, ECG, ICU, 24 hours Emergency.

• Food and treatment was made available for all.

BEL-AIR -

Main Operating Theatre Facility

– one of 4 rooms.

Bel-Air: 1994

• Bel-Air admitted HIV patients and did their best to treat them at a time when the country had no experience.

• No support from the Government.• ART was not available.• Society was resistant.

BEL-AIR: 1994-2000

• People with HIV were abandoned by their families.

• Bodies were not claimed.

BEL-AIR: 1994-2000 Cont’d.

• Even cremation was difficult. –Bel-Air staff were forced to wash

the municipal crematorium after cremation of the HIV positive bodies.

• High levels of stigma and discrimination

play second part of video “ Vision and Mission of Bel-Air Panchgani (7.20 mins -9.50 mins. followed by 10.20mins – 17.00 mins.)

Bel-Air - The Success Story

• Successful in creating an environment free of stigma and discrimination in the hospital.

• International schools in Panchgani send their students for treatment to Bel-Air. Students mingle with patients regularly.

• Increased HIV awareness in the community

Bel-Air : Success Story Cont’d.

• Acceptance of patients with HIV by their family members.

• Patients regaining their confidence and dignity

• Most patients recover and go back to lead normal productive lives.

• 25 previous patients with HIV co-opted as staff.

Bel-Air: A Community and Family Support

• Ayurvedic and Naturopathy Health Centerproviding alternative medicine and yoga

therapy.• Healthcare for local boarding school

children.• Family members required to stay with

patient at Bel-Air.• Staff visit villages of discharged patients to

facilitate re-entry into community.

BEL-AIR -

Community awareness

Anti-retroviral Treatment (ART)

• ART is supposed to be provided free to people in high risk states like Maharashtra (UIC 2005).

• India: 20% of adults who need ART have access to it (UNGASS 2008)

• 25% of Bel-Air patients who need ART have access to it (NPR 2007). Bel-Air is working at increasing this number.

HOW? – as mentioned before

“At Bel-Air, Father Tomy has achieved what no other rural hospital in India has done: He has assembled the latest technology and doctors needed to practice sophisticated Western-style medicine. This led to his ability to get access to the government-controlled supply of drugs to fight HIV “

– NPR, morning edition, July 6, 2007

Patients with HIV & TB treated at Bel-Air 1996-2008

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Bel-Air patients with HIV treated in the out patient department

323 7311578

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Hospital and community center that provides charity care without

depending solely on charity itself.

1. STARTING A COLLEGE OF NURSING

2. PRIVATE BOARDING SCHOOL

MISSION: PART II

Nursing

• World wide shortage of nurses– US: 773 nurses per 100,000 people– India: 63 nurses per 100,000 people

12 fold difference!

• In India 50% migrate to other countries: US, UK, Saudi Arabia

• Many health care facilities use unlicensed personnel

source: UIC 2005

Bel-Air College of Nursing

• Started in 2006

• The first nursing program in India with a focus on HIV/AIDS.

• Identified by Indian Nursing Council & NACO to train nurses in HIV.

• 40 students per class; 4-year program

• All nursing students are women

• Most nursing students from Kerala

College of Nursing -

New construction – main entrance

New construction – along the slopes

College of Nursing

“While it may turn a profit, it, more importantly, will provide 80 nurses and students to staff the hospital — nurses that will be needed as the demand for AIDS treatment continues to rise.”

source: NPR July 6, 2007

Bel-Air College of Nursing – Created a Collaboration with University of Illinois, Chicago

• Faculty and student exchange

• Curriculum

• Joint research activities

• Participation in seminars and academic meetings

• Exchange of academic materials and other information

College of Nursing -

UIC, Chicago Collaboration

Private Boarding School

• Just down the road from Bel-Air is a brand new, private boarding school, run by Father Tomy's mission. The building has long, cool hallways, spacious classrooms, verandas and fans. The school attracts the wealthy from Mumbai and beyond. Its substantial profit goes to Bel-Air.

source: NPR July 6, 2007

Bel-Air - National Training Institutefor HIV/AIDS Management

2003 - 2008 Bel-Air has trained:

804 doctors, 220 nurses, 41 health workers,

57 counselors and 81 faith leaders

Other achievements:

Bel-Air selected to train Community Care Center nurses in the states of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh,

West Bengal, Rajasthan,

Madhya Pradesh, Orissa,

Gujarat,

Bihar and

Uttar Pradesh.

Future Vision:A Center of Excellence

• Center for the training of doctors, nurses and other health care providers from South and South East Asia in HIV/AIDS

References1. Epidemiological Fact Sheet on HIV and AIDS, India, 2008 update.

UNAIDS/WHO Working Group on Global HIV/AIDS and STI Surveillance. Downloaded from: http://www.who.int/hiv/countries/en/

2. UNGASS Country Progress Report 2008, India. National AIDS Control Organization Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt of India, New Delhi.

3. Feasibility Study Report: Advancing Nursing Education at Bel-Air Hospital. University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing, 2005. http://www.uic.edu/nursing/research/bel-air/feasibilityreport_april15_08.pdf

4. NPR story: Priest Revives Former TB Clinic for AIDS Patients. July 2007. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11704607

5. 18 minute Video on Bel-Air Hospital http://realmedia.uic.edu/ramgen/depts/nurs/msnurs/belair.rm