HIV/AIDS

	A meeting in progress at AIDS Counselling Centre

As Bharatpur is a major tourist destination and is strategically located on major rail and road route, it is quite prone to HIV and AIDS. Interventions in HIV/AIDS field were started in the year 2004 with the establishment of Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre at RBM District Hospital. With considerable effort on the part of the organisation and cooperation of the Chief Medical Officer, Room No. 10 has been allotted permanently to the organisation. Necessary furniture and equipment were purchased with a grant from the Rajasthan AIDS Control Society. One female and one male counsellor take care of this VCTC.

This has been accompanied with massive extension activities in the field. Cooperation of other organisations working on the topic was taken. As a result the number of people turning up to the centre is increasing with every passing year.  Pleased with the efforts of the organisation, the hospital management has deputed two lab technicians for HIV testing.

Similar ICTC is being run at the Community Health Centre, Kaman, Bharatpur, again with the financial support from Rajasthan State AIDS Control Society, Jaipur. Counselling and testing is done as per guidelines of NACO and results of testing are kept secret.

PPTCT is being run at the women's hospital, Bharatpur, for HIV testing of pregnant women, again with the financial support from RSACS. NACO guidelines and secrecy in test results is maintained.

Apart from these, training programmes have been organised for different segments of population. Complete information about HIV/AIDS and other related matters like RTI, STI, gender and associated misgivings.

To further contain spread of HIV/AIDS, 131 blood samples of commercial sex workers were taken from the pre-identified red light areas like Malah, Par Bagdhari, Prem Nagar (Bayana), Khar Ka Nagla, Ghatauli, Prem Nagar and Bansh Padharpur.  This was done following a special directive of RSACS.

Every year, World AIDS Day is observed with fanfare on December 1. KRF is a member of coordination committee of the District AIDS Control Coordination Committee. A permanent question box has been installed at two schools in Bharatpur – Adityendra Goverment Inter College and Agrasen Mahila Vidyapeeth. Any student can drop an anonymous question in the drop box and the get the answer from the specialists within 15 days.

Recently, People Living with HIV and AIDS Network, Bharatpur, has been registered. Meetings are organised every month. Cooperation is being extended to HIV positive families in getting free medicines. Such people are also being linked with vocational training and other schemes. Discussions are held on HIV positives' problems and their local level solutions.