Indian Red Cross Society

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• Indian Red Cross Society
• Response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Maharashtra
• Mrs. Homai N. Modi
• Hon. Secretary
• Indian Red Cross Society
• Maharashtra State Branch

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OPD Block
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HIV/AIDS Present Indian Scenario

• About 2.5 to 3 million adults infected with HIV
  in India
• 38 are women
• 57 are in rural areas
• Six high HIV prevalence states in South and North
  Eastern regions including Maharashtra
  

Figure Source NACO Annual Report, 2003

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HIV/AIDS Scenario in Maharashtra

• Maharashtra is one of the first and worst hit
  states in the country.
• Major labour force for the financial capital of
  India Mumbai, comes from the rural parts of the
  state.
• This labour force is exposed to Red light areas
  and also to HIV as they are living alone away
  from their families.
• National Highway connecting important cities like
  Mumbai, Pune, Mangalore, Bangalore and Chennai
  passes through various districts in Maharashtra
  with major halts in smaller towns.
• Large number of female sex workers along the
  highway catering to truck drivers.

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HIV Trends in Maharashtra
NACO
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HIV Trends in Maharashtra
NACO
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HIV Trends in Maharashtra
NACO
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History of Bel Air

• Founded by Dr Billimoria in 1912 as a TB
  Sanatorium
• Handed over to Red Cross Society in 1964
• 250 bedded hospital with 150 staff including 24
  doctors and 60 nurses.
• Well equipped Pathological Laboratory, CD4 Count
  Machine, Operation Theatre with Laparoscopy,
  X-ray-USG Machines, ECG, ICU, 24 hours Emergency,
  etc.
• It also has a Naturopathy and Ayurveda Centre.

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1994

• Bel-Air started getting HIV patients from 1994.
• Bel-Air admitted HIV patients and did their best
  to treat them at a time when the country had no
  experience.
• There was no support from the Government.
• ART was not available.
• Free food and treatment made available.

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1994 - 2000

• The Society was resistant.
• Families abandoned their patients.
• Bodies were not claimed.
• 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

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2000 - 2002

• Bel-Air started sending doctors to various
  HIV/AIDS international workshops and trainings to
  places like Bangkok, Europe etc. since no
  expertise was available in the country.
• Nurses, counselors and other staff were also
  trained.

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Endorsements2002

• Penguin publishes Positive Lives by Kalpana Jain,
  with a few stories
• on the lives and experiences of HIV positive
  patients at
• Bel-Air.

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2003

• Dr.Sr.Rosily, M.D. with eight years experience
  working with HIV/AIDS patients in Ghana, West
  Africa, joined Bel-Air.
• Completed Fellowship in HIV medicine from
  Christian Medical College, Vellore.

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Endorsements 2003

• The President of India Honble Dr. A. P. J.
  Abdul Kalam visits Bel-Air.

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Mrs. Homai N Modi, Hon. Secretary, Indian Red
Cross Society, Maharashtra State Branch, receives
the President
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President at Bel-Air
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Endorsements2003

• UNAIDS proposes Bel-Air as a Public Private
  Partnership Model.

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• Patients admitted and treated at Bel-Air

Year H.I.V. TB
1995-96 8 417
1996-97 52 546
1997-98 57 411
1998-99 64 332
1999-2000 89 202
2000-01 260 423
2001-02 305 522
2002-03 389 577
2003-04 560 605
2004-05 653 699
2005-06 905 1494
2006-07 1125 1979
2007-08 1751 1743
Total 6227 9950
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HIV OPD
Year No. of Patients
2002 323
2003 731
2004 1578
2005 3205
2006 6401
2007 8959
2008 till March 1841
Total 23038
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Surgeries

• Bel-Air started Orthopaedic, Gynaec and General
  Surgeries for HIV patients way back in 1998.
• Laparoscopic surgeries started in 2008.

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Ayurvedic Centre

• Bel-Air has a full fledged Ayurvedic Centre
  which provides alternative medicines and yoga
  therapy to HIV patients also.

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Endorsements 2006

• Director of Bel-Air nominated as member of the
  Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) of the UN
  Global Fund against AIDS, TB and Malaria(GFATM).

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Endorsements2007

• The Director of Bel-Air nominated as the
  Chairperson of the Technical Resource Group (TRG)
  on Community Care Centres (CCCs) of National AIDS
  Control Organisation (NACO) Ministry of Health
  and Family Welfare, Government of India.

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Endorsements2007

• A special Report on Bel-Air by
• (National Public
  Radio) USA.
• Website link http//www.npr.org/templates/story/s
  tory.php?storyId11704607b
• www.belairpanchgani.org

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Bel-Air College of Nursing 2006

• The first nursing program in India with a focus
  on HIV/AIDS.
• The first Nursing College in India with a
  collaboration with an American University.
• Identified by Indian Nursing Council NACO to
  train nurses in HIV.
• 118 students currently in three batches.

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Bel-Air College of Nursing 2006

• University of Illinois Collaboration for
• - Faculty exchange
• - Student Exchange
• - Curriculum
• - Joint research activities
• - Participation in seminars and academic
  meetings
• - Exchange of academic materials and other
  information.
• - Special short term academic programs.
• - Professional development programs.

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2006

• Support from
• Minu K. and Mehroo M. Patel Endowment Fund for
  Advancement of Nursing in India
• Bel-Air Benefit Foundation, Chicago.
• Ribbon Foundation, Chicago.

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2006 Bel-Air National Training Institute

• Center for Disease Control (CDC), Atlanta and
  International Training and Education Center on
  HIV (I-TECH) Seattle, Washington, commits to
  provide technical support to Bel-Air.

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2007 Bel-Air National Training Institute

• Global Fund Round VI
• Bel-Air selected to train Community Care Center
  (CCC) nurses in the states of Maharashtra,
  Chatisgarh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Madhya
  Pradesh, Orissa, Gujarat, Bihar and Uttar
  Pradesh.

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2008 Bel-Air National Training Institute

• Indian Nursing Council identifies College of
  Nursing for training of nurses from all over
  India in HIV/AIDS.

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2008 Bel-Air National Training Institute
Indian Red Cross Society National Head Quarters
selects Bel-Air for a Care and Support Program in
Pune, Nashik and Kolhapur Districts with the help
of German Red Cross.
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Bel-Air a National Training Institute2003 - 2008

• Bel-Air has trained 804 doctors, 220 nurses, 41
  health workers 57 counselors and 81 faith
  leaders in HIV/AIDS management.

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Bel-Air - A Success Story

• Successful in creating an environment free of
  stigma and discrimination in the hospital
• Larger society accepting HIV without
  discrimination.
• International schools in Panchgani send their
  students for treatment to Bel-Air.
• Acceptance of positive patients by their family
  members.
• Most patients recovering and going back to lead
  normal productive lives.

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Bel-Air - A Success Story

• Levels of stigma and discrimination have reduced
  drastically in the community.
• Awareness on HIV prevention in the community has
  increased specially among the youth.
• Students from Panchgani schools mingle with
  patients regularly.
• Positive patients regain their confidence and
  dignity.
• 25 HIV positive co-opted as staff.
• Unprecedented unique model in the country.

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Future scope

• Bel-Air is a potential training center for
  doctors, nurses and other health care providers
  from South and South East Asia in HIV/AIDS.

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Contact Details

• Mrs. Homai N. Modi Prof. Minu K Patel Dr.
  Mehroo Patel
• Hon. Secretary Bel-Air Benefit Foundation,
• Indian Red Cross Society [phone] 
  Fax[phone]
• Maharashtra State Branch E-mail mkp_at_uic.edu
• Tel [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• E-mail homaimodi _at_ yahoo . co . in
• Father Tomy K. MCBS Dr. Manohar Jethani,
• Director Ribbon Foundation, Chicago,
• Bel-Air Hospital 1977, Quincy Ct,
  Glendale HTS, IL 60179.
• Mobile Tel [phone]
• Tel [phone] / 240639 Fax 241897
• E-mail belair _at_ vsnl . com
• Website www.belairpanchgani.org

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• THANK YOU