A Forum on HIV/AIDS & Human Trafficking in the Darjeeling Hills

We lent support to the Inner Wheel Club of Darjeeling and CII in the capacity of event management and technical advisory committee for the Forum on HIV/Aids & Human Trafficking organised at the Capitol Tower in Darjeeling. It was a 2 day event.

The Program & Theme

FORUM on HIV/AIDS and TRAFFICING, Darjeeling 25th and 26th July 2007, Town Hall, Darjeeling
Background Note:
HIV/AIDS and the Darjeeling Hills

The Darjeeling Hills are a highly vulnerable area with regards to HIV/AIDS. The backwardness of the region leading to high migration, floating sex worker population, awareness focused in urban areas only are cross cutting factors resulting in the vulnerability.

In 1996, under the impetus of the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO), Darjeeling, the Darjeeling AIDS Control Centre (DACC) was established with a few NGOs and Societies working under it. The region’s only Voluntary Confidential Counseling and Testing Centre (VCCTC) started functioning from April 2002. To date, 2480 persons have undergone testing, of which 116 were found to be HIV positive (31st May 2007 VCCTC report). However, experts are skeptical about the accuracy of present data to extrapolate for the entire hills, stating that the actual figure is far more startling.

They point to several compelling factors to support their opinion:
· Very few people opt for testing due to lack of awareness and fear of a social scrutiny. Moreover, although blood donations are screened, donors are not notified of their HIV status.
· Awareness programs only cater to the urban populace and lack a strong connection to the rural populace of Darjeeling.
· The VCCTC is located in the Darjeeling Town with limited access and to the rural population
· The poor economy of the region and massive unemployment has given rise to a large migrant laborer population and sex workers.
· High risk groups such as drivers, army men, migrant porters, flying sex workers and laborers, leaving and coming into Darjeeling, have limited access to HIV/AIDS awareness programs.
· Most institutions do not impart adolescent health to pupils, let alone HIV/AIDS awareness
Issues and Challenges of HIV/AIDS in the Darjeeling Hills
1. limited societal awareness on HIV/AIDS; stigma and discrimination
2. Insufficient supportive medical environment
3. Only one Voluntary Counseling and Testing Centre in Darjeeling Sadar Hospital making it extremely difficult for rural communities and people from the other subdivisions to access it
4. Limited Prevention of Parent to Child Transfer Centre
5. Rights of People and Families living with HIV/AIDS
6. Access to CD 4 count Test which can be only be done in the nearest Teaching Hospital, which is the North Bengal Medical College, Siliguri. This is free for the BPL but the journey back and forth is very challenging for people of the hills
7. Access to anti retro viral therapy which is also given by the North Bengal Medical College, Siliguri which is a life long treatment making it difficult to access.
Day 1
Dialogue within key stakeholders and decision makers
Objectives:
1. Identify issues and barriers in the Darjeeling Hills with respect to awareness and prevention of HIVAIDS ; care and support
2. Initiate a dialogue of key stakeholders and decision makers
Inputs:
1. Stakeholders presentations(5 minutes per stakeholder) on issues and barriers in their focused interventions
2. Theme paper presentation
3. Round Table Dialogue
Outputs:
1. Critical understanding of issues and barriers in the Darjeeling Hills with respect to care and support and prevention of HIV/AIDS by primary stakeholders
2. Road Map
Time Period: 2 hours 10:00 am to 12 noon and lunch
Post Lunch
1. HIV/AIDS, Poverty, Unsafe Migration and Trafficking
Darjeeling Police, Inner Wheel, DACC to facilitate
Exhibition on HIV/AIDS open to citizens of Darjeeling
Day 2
Sensitization of Darjeeling Municipality Elected Representatives and Community Based Organizations’ Leaders
Objectives:
1. Sensitize Community Leaders
2. Initiate a dialogue forum of key stakeholders and decision makers
3. Develop a road map for the Darjeeling Hills on HIV/AIDS
Time Period: 10: 00 am to 5 :00 pm
Inputs:
1. HIV/AIDS, STI, VCCTC and prevention – technical input
2. HIV/AIDS and society
Albert Rai, Anugyalaya DDSSS 20 minutes presentation 10 minutes discussion
3. Shanker Foundation Darjeeling Network of Positive People
40 minutes presentation including personal sharing 20 minutes discussion
4. HIV/AIDS and Intra-venous Drug Users in the Darjeeling Hills
Kripa Centre Darjeeling 20 minutes presentation and 10 minutes discussion
5. HIV/AIDS and Sex Workers in the Darjeeling Hills
FOSEP 20 minutes presentation and 10 minutes discussion
6. HIV/AIDS and Transport workers
YMDAS 20 minutes presentation and 10 minutes discussion
7. HIV/AIDS and Male Sexual Health
Manas Bangla, Mitjyu 20 minutes presentation and 10 minutes discussion
8. HIV/AIDS and Tea Plantation Workers
IPARW 20 minutes presentation and 10 minutes discussion
9. Group Discussion and Action Plan Development
30 minutes Group Discussion and Presentations 1 hour including compilation
VOTE OF THANKS
Inner Wheel
Outputs
1. Capacity enhancement of Community Leaders
2. Action plans
Technical Advisory Committee
Superintendent of Police
President Inner Wheel
President or Secretary Shanker Foundation
Sweta Pradhan & Dipang Lama PROD
DACC One Representative
Roshan Rai