Clinic-on-wheels to check HIV spread

June 18: A mobile clinic with facilities to tackle the fast spreading sexually transmitted infections STIs will start making rounds of ...

June 18: A mobile clinic with facilities to tackle the fast spreading sexually transmitted infections STIs will start making rounds of inaccessible areas and among migrant population in Mumbai. The first of such mobile clinic was inaugurated by the Mumbai Districts Aids Control Society MDACS on Friday.

The mobile clinic will focus on areas with high-risk groups vulnerable to HIV infection and where construction of permanent clinics are not possible. It will target commercial sex workers CSWs and their clients in redlight areas and truckers travelling along the national highways. Two more mobile clinics will be put into service by next month. According to Dr J V R Prasad Rao, project director of National Aids Control Organisation NACO, the project is the first of its kind in India and will be introduced in other states later.

8220;Though we encourage services of a permanent nature, we were prompted by the unique composition of Mumbai8217;s population, its high number of migrants and the inaccessibleareas. This city has the highest number of HIV infected in the country 8212; almost two per cent of its adult population and it8217;s necessary to reach out them to prevent the spread of AIDS,8221; he said.

Dr Rao informed that a national hotline number 1097 for counselling on AIDS will be available in Mumbai within a month. The number can also be used for leaving behind questions to be answered later and also receive complaints about non-availability or refusal of treatment in hospitals. The Ministry of Environment and Forests has outlined procedures for disposal of medical waste which will come into force from October 8217;99 onwards. Any hospital found flouting these rules can be asked to shut down by the government, he said, adding that hospitals around the country have been asked to get strict with infection control procedures.

The mobile clinics plan to screen blood for HIV and syphilis, provide counselling services for adoption of safe sex practices and promotion of sexual behaviour changes. It will alsoencourage social mobilisation of the community by involving trade unions, rickshaws and taxi unions and other hard-to-reach population groups.

The first visits are planned for the Dahisar check-naka from where almost 2,500 trucks arrive in the city daily. Says Dr Dilip Vaswani, deputy director STI, MDACS, 8220;Considering that every truck has a driver and one cleaner, that would translate to roughly 5,000 people at one check-naka alone8221;. The clinic will visit the Mulund check-nakas at Eastern Express highway and LBS Marg and the Mumbai-Panvel Highway check-naka. Hanuman Nagar at Ghatkopar W and Sonapur at Bhandup, which have a high population of CSWs and eunuchs, are also on the list.

The MDACS has also planned to bring out Information, Education and Communication IEC vans displaying charts informing people about sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS. The van will visit colleges and other areas and will have a screen outside to show educational films on related subjects.