FADA Mumbai NGO

FADA (Forum against Drugs and AIDS) started about 15 (fifteen) years ago as a non profit non-governmental organisation (NGO). It catered to the needs of poor and under privileged patients of drug addiction. From year 1997 onwards its focus of activities shifted to HIV/AIDS prevention and intervention as the epidemic grew dangerously high.

In India 2-2.5 million persons are HIV infected, half of whom are women and children who are infected due to mother/child transmission. Most of these women belong to marginalized group, comprising among others professional sex workers who do not have easy access to medical facilities. This is in part due to their fatalistic attitudes and low health seeking behaviour. They are the hot-spots of transmission (of HIV) to the general public in big cities like Bombay (Mumbai). It is therefore imperative to work closely with such groups in order to demolish stigma and discrimination and to get them under the cover of targeted intervention programme.

Some among the government hospitals do provide health check-ups and give anti retroviral therapy to those who are eligible; but, there is a huge gap in offering facilities of high order. They face inordinate delay to avail treatment of their condition.

It is desirable that a private/public partnership be considered / looked into so as to supplement / augment government sector that alone / singly cannot maintain or sustain every medical necessity. It is the public sector and the voluntary action groups who need to support such magnanimous initiatives.

FADA hopes to further enhance and increase to cover larger population groups all over Mumbai / Bombay. It would like to collaborate with international groups and network with government agencies to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS in India.

In a government/public partnership FADA would like to support the areas that are not adequately served due to lack of infrastructure in the government sector.

FADA’s needs towards this end arc:-
Diagnostic and monitoring facilities, (there already exists with FADA a set-up of computerised biochemistry laboratory carrying out basic biochemical tests, free of cost to HIV +ve persons). everyday free check up monthly meeting of HIV guidance and information for HIV People

Due to lack of funding/funds FADA is unable to offer expanded services like CD4 cell monitoring and radio-diagnostic facilities which are essential factors in management of HIV/AIDS.

If FADA is supported with funds or with equipment and machines to run radio-diagnostic facilities and CD4 monitoring it would be of immense help to the marginalized section of citizens. It would go a long way to assist the government run ‘NACO’ a National AIDS control organisation.

We, at FADA are looking at one time investment for equipment/machines and project running cost for three (3) years. After this period we would be able to sustain such facilities/activities through social marketing, wider networking of services through difference at highly subsidized costs but offering quality assistance.

An appeal
In India 2-2.5 million persons are HIV affected, half of whom are women and children, who are infected due to mother-child transmission. Most of these women belong to marginalized groups comprising among others professional sex works that do not have any easy access to medical facilities. This is in part due to their fatalistic attitudes and low health-seeking behaviour. These are the hot spots for transmission (of HIV) to the general public in big cities like Mumbai (Bombay). It is therefore, imperative to work closely with such groups in order to demolish stigma and discrimination and to get them under cover of targeted intervention programmes.
Some selective Government hospitals provide health check-ups and give anti-retroviral therapy (ART) to those who are eligible. But there is a huge gap in offering facilities and still lot has to be done to scale up the initiative to cover the interior population to many urban-middle class people who are infected. It is because in urban public hospitals they are treated with utter disrespect, as well as face inordinate delays to avail services. It is desirable that a private/public partnership be considered for augmentation of government service - who cannot singly maintain or sustain every medical necessity. It is the public sector and the voluntary action groups who need to offer and support such magnanimous initiatives.
FADA hopes to further enhance and increase its base to cover larger population groups (then at present) all over Maharashtra. It would like to collaborate with inter-national groups and network with government agencies in order to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS in India.
In a public partnership such as aid from corporates, FADA needs sustenance in areas that are not adequately served due to lack of financial reasons.
FADA’s requirements towards this and are monetary assistance in providing medication for anti-retroviral therapy (ART) to suffers from the lower economic state who constitute the major group that FADA endeavor to serve. As is known anti-retroviral medicines (ARMs) are prohibitively costly in the context of poor Indian citizens particularly for those who have survived five to seven (5-7) years of this dreaded infection and no longer respond to what is known as ‘first line’ treatment, subsequent ‘second line’ treatment which could give such patients an extended lease of life is beyond the means of even higher economic classes as it is not covered by health insurance.
FADA’s appeal to you is for a helping band in funding for such medicines to distribute among the needy at a nominal or no-cot basis. It is the only way to open ‘a golden door’ to those unfortunate beings that have now many little to look forward to in their lives in days to come.
FADA is manned by a men dedicated band of medical professionals who have experience in and exposure to significant issues concerning HIV/AIDS. Also serving at this organisation are a trained batch of technicians looking after instruments and interacting with those who seek FADA’s services. Supporting staff include counselors who render counseling services in dealing with infected people with depression, hopelessness, low self-esteem and information to live better life.