'HIV Medics' Training Program from IGNOU and AHF

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and AHF/ India Cares
Partner in Groundbreaking AIDS Care Training Initiative in Delhi

NEW DELHI (July 11, 2008) Indian, US Partners to Train Community Members as `HIV Medics'—Healthcare Workers in the Fight against AIDS HIV Medics are paraprofessional healthcare workers trained to assist clinicians in the provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for people living with HIV.

India's Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the US' largest HIV/AIDS organization, which operates free AIDS treatment clinics in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean and Asia, (including two clinics in India—Delhi and Mysore) are pleased to announce the formation of a new partnership through which AHF—India Cares will work closely with the University to promote and implement training and education programs for people working in the field of HIVAIDS.

The partners will work together on educational training programs such as AHF's innovative HIV Medics program, through which AHF medical staff train lay people to work as treatment extenders in the burgeoning, yet often understaffed field of HIV/AIDS care in Africa and elsewhere in the developing world.

"It is a great privilege for us to join together with Indira Gandhi
National Open University to bring AHF's HIV Medic education and
training program to India, which is world repute in providing quality
education through distance learning" said Dr. Chinkholal Thangsing,
Asia/Pacific Bureau Chief for AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which
operates AHF—India Cares.

"This new partnership marks the first time an AHF HIV Medics training program will take place outside of Africa, and we are deeply honored that India will be among the first countries in the Asia Pacific region to benefit from this groundbreaking program.

The need for access to HIV/AIDS medical care and treatment throughout India remains great; we sincerely believe this collaboration will help ease that burden by training qualified HIV Medics to assist in the delivery of care and treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS."

AHF's HIV Medics are community health workers who perform routine, but time-consuming tasks such as taking a patient's blood pressure and medical history, thereby freeing up valuable time for doctors and nurses to see and treat many more patients. Since 2004, AHF has conducted four HIV Medic training programs; two each in Uganda and Zambia, training over 100 HIV Medics.

The formal signing of the memorandum of understanding between IGNOU and AHF/India Cares took place in a ceremony yesterday at the Embassy of the United States, American Center Office, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi, India.

"IGNOU has achieved the distinction of becoming the largest University in the world with 1.8 million students on its rolls" said Prof. V. N. Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice-Chancellor, Chairman, Distance Education Council, IGNOU. He had all the praise for AHF India Cares collaboration with IGNOU and extended support to HIV Medics programme to integrate with the programmes offered by IGNOU.

Under this MoU, IGNOU and AHF India Cares would jointly prepare the curriculum and provide the training on a face to face mode. IGNOU would prepare a module on `Social, Ethical and Educational aspects pertaining to HIVAIDS' while AHF would share their expertise on `Medical and Clinical aspects including hands on training'.

"Service to people at large is service to the nation. IGNOU is fortunate to associate with AHF India Cares who are providing access to medical support, education and training to the needy. By
collaborating with AHF India Cares the objective of IGNOU to reach the unreached will be fulfilled to some extent," said K. Laxman, Registrar, IGNOU after signing the MoU.

"The establishment of this new HIV Medic training partnership in India is truly a major milestone for both organizations," said Mary Adair, PA-C, AHF Director of Global Training, who has conducted and overseen all previous Medic Training programs for AHF in Africa and will also
lead the first Medic Training program in India later this fall.

"This collaboration should also serve as a beacon of hope for many people living with HIV/AIDS in India, as it will ultimately allow medical providers—doctors, nurses, and physicians assistants—the ability to expand and scale up the provision medical care and services, including the delivery of lifesaving anti-retroviral treatment to people living with HIV/AIDS in India."

"Bringing the HIV Medics program to India should ultimately help usher more HIV positive Indians and those already living with AIDS into care and treatment," said Michael Weinstein, AIDS Healthcare Foundation's resident. "We look forward to our collaboration with our partners at Indira Gandhi National Open University and thank all who were involved in securing this exciting new training partnership."

HIV Medics are paraprofessional healthcare workers trained to assist linicians in the provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for people living with HIV. AIDS Healthcare Foundation first developed the program to address the shortage of healthcare workers in resource-constraine d countries.

HIV Medics provide initial patient screenings, complete patient istories and refer patients to physicians for physical exams and initiation of ART. They also draw blood, dispense medications and provide medication adherence counseling and HIV testing.

Shifting of these aforementioned tasks to the HIV Medics frees up physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals for more complex tasks and enables them to see more patients. These factors contribute to the overall goal of increasing the number of people receiving ART and improving the quality and continuity of care.

The HIV Medic training is designed for students with no prior medical training or experience. The training program is intensive and covers 12 weeks of full-time study. HIV Medic students must have a high-school equivalent education, read and write English and be able to commit to the full 12 weeks of training in order to enter the training program. In addition, HIV Medics are often HIV-positive themselves.

According to a United Nations-sanctioned report that was released by ndian Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss in July 2007, India is thought to have nearly 2.47 million living with HIV/AIDS today. With a population of over 1.1 billion, India's HIV prevalence is still considered relatively low; however only a small fraction of those people living with the disease have access to lifesaving care and medical treatment. It is expected that the HIV Medics trained by this partnership between AHF/India Cares and Indira Gandhi National Open University will help lessen the burden on Indian care providers and increase the numbers of those on care and treatment throughout India.


About AHF:

Additional information is available at www.aidshealth.org
About AHF/India Cares In India, under the aegis of AIDS Healthcare Foundation, AHF/India Cares was established to carry forward the mission and goals of AHF and implement programs as AHF/India Cares. AHF/India Cares and operates antiretroviral treatment programs in Indian cities of New Delhi and Mysore.

AHF provides ART treatment and care services to 4,423 people infected with HIV/AIDS throughout the country. The AHF India Cares Clinic in New Delhi, the Centre of Excellence, opened in October 2006, and offers testing, psychosocial support and ART services, including pediatric treatment. The goal of the center is to provide ART services to 2,000 patients over a period of five years.

CONTACTS:

INDIA

Dr Chinkholal Thangsing
Asia Pacific Bureau Chief
AIDS Healthcare Foundation
S-7 Panchsheel Park,
New Delhi 110017
+91 11 41745541/42
+91 11 41745543[Fax]
+91 98 18270687
chinkholal.thangsing@aidshealth.org

K. Laxman
Registrar
Administration Division
Indira Gandhi National Open University, Maidan Garhi,
New Delhi 110068
INDIA
+91 11 29532098 [work]
+91 11 26493982 [res.]