A first in the city: HIV test on home inmates

FOR the first time, Lucknow has woken up to the fact that girls and women living in protection homes, who are mostly trafficking victims, also fall in the high-risk category of people who are vulnerable to HIV-AIDS. The realisation dawned on a local NGO, Abhaas, that there is a need to carry out HIV tests on these girls and women. Undertaking this first-of-its-kind project, Abhaas has started organising HIV check-up camps at various protection homes and orphanages across the state capital.

The first such camp was organised at the Leelavati Munshi Balgrih at Moti Nagar on Wednesday. Similar camps will be organised at other homes as well, with special emphasis on homes where trafficking victims are sent, said Anoop Yadav of Abhaas, which functions from Triveni Nagar area.

"So far, there have been no facilities to test these inmates for HIV. One cannot forget that some of these victims are either rescued after they were trafficked, or have been exploited. So they belong to the high-risk category of HIV positive people," he said.

Yadav said it is important not to just carry out tests on these inmates, but also to make them aware of HIV-AIDS.

"No one has ever tried to look into this. Children who are orphans because their parents died because of AIDS are also living in these orphanages," said Yadav. After the first HIV check-up camp on Wednesday, with support from the Family Planning Association of India, Abhaas now plans to organise similar camps in other homes as well.

"Since most of the protection homes are state run, I'm trying to talk to the government departments to help us in organising such camps. We initially want to work in Lucknow only, but if get enough support, I would like to conduct this camp in all districts," said Yadav.

Apart from the protection homes and orphanages, Yadav also plans to organise HIV testing and awareness camps in Charbagh area for street children and sex workers.

"At present, I am spending my own money for organising the camps. But I am looking for some monetary support for the project, so that more and more people can be benefited," said Yadav.