Communicable Diseases (TB, HIV / AIDS, Hepatitis B & C)

Communicable Diseases (TB, HIV / AIDS, Hepatitis B & C)

Communicable disease HIV-AIDS and TB are one of the major challenge for achieving the global target of a 50 per cent reduction in mortality by 2015. TB and HIV-AIDS have a fuelling effect and impact on each other, and therefore interventions should be focused on dual infection. MAMTA invests in coherent health response to TB/HIV-AIDS care by synergizing between the programs towards increase access for comprehensive health care, support and treatment services among marginalized communities and people at large.

HIV-AIDS

MAMTA's HIV-AIDS program support efforts to reduce the incidence of HIV-AIDS significantly and sustainably; contributing to reverse impact on HIV-AIDS affected people through positive and productive influence in their lives. Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV-AIDS (GIPA) is one of the key principles of, which aims to enhance the quality and effectiveness of our HIV-AIDS initiatives.

MAMTA's HIV-AIDS intervention promotes quality and accessibility to prevention, care, support and treatment services for people living with HIV, people affected with HIV and High Risk Groups (HRGs). Our program also focuses on advocacy intervention in HRGs through Young People's Sexual, Reproductive Health and Rights. MAMTA has a sound coordination with National and State AIDS Control Societies, and DAPCU (District Aids Prevention and Control Unit), besides working in close partnership with National, State and District positive networks and key population organization.

MAMTA has been instrumental in generating evidence and piloting programmes that have special focus on addressing marginalized adolescent group's vulnerability to HIV/AIDS in India; innovations in PPTCT in hard to reach populations; strengthening, monitoring and establishing accountability mechanisms for national HIV-AIDS programmes in India.

TUBERCULOSIS

MAMTA's TB initiative supports Government of India's National Tuberculosis Elimination Program to expand its reach, visibility, and effectiveness, and to engage community-based providers to improve Tuberculosis services, especially for women and children, marginalized, vulnerable and TB-HIV co-infected populations. Its guiding principles are promotion of universal access to quality Tuberculosis care, community participation, sustainable interventions, and equitable distribution with gender and social sensitivity.

MAMTA geographical coverage has expanded under Project AXHSYA to 62 districts across seven states like Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Haryana, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh in India. Through concerted efforts by civil society and other community stakeholders Project AXSHYA served and transformed the lives of the affected communities in Vulnerable, Marginalized and hard to reach areas, which was recognized by GFATM and further the project was extended till 2017. In addition to the 62 districts, there are seven cities where MAMTA implemented a unique urban-centric approach which included intensified outreach activities, engagement of Qualified Private Practitioners for Tuberculosis case notification & treatment adherence and client/patient friendly DOTS provision.

To support country’s National Strategic Plan (2017-25) for engagement of private sector in the implementation of National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP). MAMTA implements Joint Efforts for Elimination of Tuberculosis project in 11 districts of Uttar Pradesh.

The project is supported by GFATM that aims to supplement the initiatives of NTEP by setting up effective and sustainable structures to strengthen existing systems and seamlessly extending quality of TB care to patients seeking care in the private sector. The project is implemented by Centre for Health Research and innovation, through Patient Provider Support Agencies (PPSA) set up in 11 cities of Uttar Pradesh. MAMTA-HIMC the sub-recipient is part of PPSA and responsible for patient diagnosis including notification of TB status and patient management across the continuum of care.

HEPATITIS B AND C

Hepatitis B and C virus is a global public health problem leading to cirrhosis and liver cancer and eventually causing disability and death. The disease poses a serious "silent epidemic" challenges most of the infected persons are unaware of their chronic carrier status. Hence, continue to infect others for decades and eventually burden the society with loss of productive workforce, and the health care system with expenses of treating liver failures, chronic liver diseases, and cancers; moreover it is became the major cause of death among people living with HIV.

In order to address the issues of Hepatitis B and C, MAMTA with support from BMSF, USA initiated "Prevention and Early Management of Viral Hepatitis (B & C) intervention in state of Manipur and Nagaland in India. This intervention aims to reduce transmission of viral hepatitis B and/or C and improve care of the patients through prevention and early management of the disease based on the focused intervention strategies. Moreover MAMTA has designed signature model for testing in Northeastern states under same initiative.

Prevention And Management

MAMTA supports and works to reduce the HIV and TB epidemic at national level working towards prevention from HIV, TB and other infections in high risk populations. We invest in management and retrieval of affected population. Our interventions are driven by evidence based good practices &works to integrate primary care clinics with HIV counselling and testing services, connect patients with quality health care services and educate young key population about sexual and reproductive health & rights. In India sex is still considered as a taboo. Therefore, there is a constant need to address sexual and reproductive health issues to attain a healthy and safe life. To address this concern MAMTA adopted a very unique way in implementing interventions with a new concept highlighting encouraging “me, my health, and my body” in place of word “sexuality”!

Diagnostic Care

Diagnostics are the gateway to care and treatment for HIV and TB. At ground level or in resource-limited settings there are still considerable barriers to access services. MAMTA interventions on HIV and TB are imbibed such that the importance of early diagnosis and prompt initiation of treatment of cases is promoted as the key element. Many low cost, quick results and hassle free diagnostic methods are examined for appropriateness and adopted for accelerating access to the diagnostic and treatment services.

Standing Against Stigma And Discrimination

Stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/TB is probably more devastating than the illness itself. The consequences vary from poor diagnosis rate of symptomatic population to no disclosure of the HIV status self denying to treatment and adopting preventive behaviour. Our approaches to reduce stigma and discrimination include empowerment of PLHIV and affected people, improving linkages of infected population with treatment services, affected population with mainstream opportunities and speaking at various levels against discrimination.