Indian Medical Association (IMA) members would be trained in the diagnosis and primary treatment of AIDS/HIV. The training is a part of the project, to be conducted by the IMA’s medical specialty wing. The Clinton Foundation would provide financial assistance to the project.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has already been signed and an office has been opened to represent the Clinton foundation has been opened in New Delhi.'It has been observed that doctors often shy away from giving treatment and counselling to the HIV patients. HIV actually is not the condition of AIDS but it needs proper attention to restrict the transformation of HIV into AIDS,' said Dr RD Dubey, National Chairman, IMA Academy of Medical Specialty.
The blue print of the training programme has been prepared already. Each state secretary of the IMA would select two doctors for training. Those selected would further be encouraged to attend a national workshop that would provide training in the same area. Following successful training, the trained doctors would conduct workshops to alert local doctors about the latest facilities available for treatment of HIV/AIDS.
Most doctors are not adequately aware about referral procedures and sample testing techniques although every state had such facilities. The training programme, which would be conducted for 2 days, would take in 50 doctors for each batch. Two separate workshops would be held, if necessary to enable sharing of knowledge with other doctors.
There are 140 IMA branches in Uttar Pradesh, with strength of approximately 200 doctors. This AIDS/HIV training programme is expected to yield nearly Rs 20 crore fund.
'We are trying to attach doctors of all specialty with IMA. An umbrella organization — Federation of Medical Association (FOMA) — has been formed where various organizations of cardiologists, neurologists, surgeons and physiologists will join us. This will automatically make members of other medical organizations a member of IMA, thereby strengthening the largest network of doctors in the country,’ remarked Dr RD Dubey.
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