Currently, 2,215 people are in ART in Nepal and 23 ART sites.

SN ART Centres
1 Teku Hospital, Teku
2 Bheri Zonal Hospital,Nepalgunj
3 Sparsha Nepal, Sanepa
4 TUTH, Maharajgunj
5 BPKIHS, Dharan
6 Western Regional Hospital, Pokhara
7 Narayani Sub-Regional Hospital, Birgunj
8 Mahakali Zonal Hospital, Mahendranagar
9 Seti Zonal Hospital, Dhangadhi
10 Doti District Hospital, Silgari
11 Lumbini Zonal Hospital, Butwal
12 Achham District Hospital, Mangalsen
13 Baglung District Hospital, Baglung
14 Koshi Zonal Hospital, Biratnagar
15 Bharatpur Hospital, Chitwan
16 Mechi Zonal Hospital, Jhapa
17 Kanti Children Hospital, Maharajgunj
18 Janakpur Hospital, Janakpur
19 Palpa Mission Hospital, Palpa
20 Mid Western Regional Hospital, Surkhet
21 Dang Hospital, Dang
22 Sagarnatha Zonal Hospital, Rajbiraj
23 Maiti Nepal, Kathmandu

Access to 2nd line ARV treatment is not easily accessible in Nepal, however with the support of GYCA small grant we are able to formed 5 retro positive task force team to advocate for scale up 1st line and access to 2nd line ART in Nepal. For this advocacy campaign we task force team believe that meaningful involvement of YPLHAs can achieve its objectives. Thus, we organized two PLHAs forum and one stakeholders meeting in AIDS Alliance Nepal (AAN) meeting hall with the main objective to educate PLHAs about HIIV/AIDS treatment services and greater involvement of PLHAs in policy/decision making process. The outcomes from the PLHAs forum are:

• 20 PLHAs gains and learns update information on
HIV/AIDS treatment services and lack of treatment
services in Nepal.
• 10-15 PLHAs share their stories, challenges and gaps on
HIV/AIDS treatment services.
• PLHAs are interest to advocate for access to care,
treatment services in Nepal.
• Current stakeholders is also agree to support for this
access to care, treatment advocacy campaign.

We task force team is developing a fact HIV/AIDS treatment cartoon IEC materials with the slogan of “taking ART SO WHAT still living with HIV/AIDS”. Hope we’ll post the IEC pictures in next blog.

If you want to know any update further information about this campaign, please email me sujjaann@gmail.com


Cheers,
sujan

The Close the Gap Nigeria project will be taking place in about 15 communities in rural Nigeria. The state coordinators for the project have done their community mapping and have selected communities where the project will be implemented. Advocacy to gatekeepers have commenced and it has been an impressive and exciting experience for us. Although not all the communities have been visited, like Plateau state where we have a little crisis, we have to wait for peace to be restored before we do our advocacy, while some state coordinators have not made a choice of communities, like cross river, nassarawa and Lagos state.

An innovative aspect of our approach is that we are working in partnership with community based organizations and they have been very supportive. Below is a list of the communities we would be working, the coordinator and partner organization.

- In Delta state, Mr. Emeka Okonta will be leading the team to Mile 5 fishing community between Anwai and Ugbolu in Oshimili south Local Government Area. The youth age group association “OKWULAGWE” will be working in partnership with GYCA.
- Mr. Emma Olaoti will be coordinating activities in kwara state. The project will take place in oke-oyi oja community of Ilorin East LGA and will be working in partnership with Royal Convenant Heritage.
- Miss Onoja Ruth is in charge of the project in Plateau state. She will be working in Gyel community with over a thousand youth of which 55% are not educated and are not concerned about the dangers of HIV/AIDS and STI's in Jos south LGA in partnership with Legion of Mary St. Jarlaths Catholic Church.
- Mr. Ebuenyi Ikenna will implement Close the Gap in Umuna community in Orlu LGA of Imo state in partnership with Matilda Onyejinwa Foundation, Orlu Local Action Committee on AIDS and NYSC.
- Mr. Kazeem Balogun is leading the team in Ekiti state and will be working in Ilawe-Ekiti and will partner with Life and Peace Development Organization (LAPDO)
- Mr. Unyime-Abasi Ben is coordinating the Akwa Ibom team.
- Mr. Yerima Daniel will oversee the project activities in Nassarawa state and will be working in Kurmi Tagwaye/Gaji in Akwanga LGA.
- Mr. Ifeanyi Okeke will be working in Anambra state in Nanka MbaukwuLugbe community.
- Mr. Olumide Idowu will be implementing the project in Abuja in gwagwalada community

Other states will be sending in their community mapping report at a later date. This project promises to be an exciting experience working in rural communities with young people who are ready to learn.
I on behalf of the project team will appeal to GYCA members and other young people working on HIV & AIDS and other RH issues in these areas to assist our state coordinators in mobilizing all the resources they might need. We appreciate your kind gestures!

Step by step.
During the whole previous month , it was really an exciting period , added great experience for the whole GYCA team working on that project,
When you face the challenge, the real challenge of making a workshop for PLHIV however,
- Your country has a lot of limitation around those people and doesn't want to show up those people as a result of the society stigma towards those people.
- You are not a registered NGO, you are a network and actually not have great support from UNFPA or other agencies that should help us as initiative.
- We are doing that for the first time at our country, even all over the NGOs at our country no one had done like that workshop except one NGO with support of FHI and two of UN agencies.
Under that whole situation and another challenges , we actually going on , Ya going on with great steps.
As regard to the first part we already finished the development of the Booklet that will be given during our two workshops for PLHIV in Arabic language targeting their rights at (life, work, health, education…) we now at the designing stage and soon we will print it, it is one way we going on,,

The other way is that we collect the contacts of our target (PLHIV) at Alex through interaction with UN agency and also a registered NGO and so the first workshop we will organize it at Alexandria during the next few days and will be after great event for PLHIV at Bib Alex (Alexandria Library) that will gather around 200 medical activists with UNAIDS and NAP and other stakeholders at that field at 18th Dec.2008, and after that meeting we will go through the first workshop.
It will be through out 3 days organized by GYCA team and lead by activists close to PLHIV at the first day, at the second day we will take part at that workshop.

We will go on and always keep up, and hope we can be over our expectations for the best of our mission as a group hoping to serve their country.

KATHMANDU, Nepal, 1 December 2008 – On World AIDS Day, the national sports stadium of Nepal filled with messages about the disease. The theme was 'Team Up to Fight AIDS' and the aim was to reduce the stigma and discrimination experienced by those living with HIV/AIDS.

Nearly four dozen people from all backgrounds came together in two teams on the football field to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS among children and adolescents.

The teams were named the 'HIV Warriors' and the 'ARV Superstars' and included political leaders, comedians, singers, sports personalities and people living with HIV/AIDS.

Decreasing stigma:

The crowd was thrilled to see their favourite stars competing alongside Nepalese people who are courageously living with HIV/AIDS. The hour-long match kicked off to enthusiastic cheers from the thousands of people in the stadium.

In a society where those living with HIV are discriminated against, one of the female players who is living with HIV said: “I am happy and excited to be a part of this game. I felt as healthy as any other player. It really boosted my confidence to play in this way and has made me more hopeful for a better life in the future.”

Said Nepali singer Subani Moktan: “I am happy to be a part of a cause where I can help in decreasing discrimination against HIV positive people. Even I was not aware that Nepal has the highest HIV prevalence in the South Asian Region.”

“I always wanted to play football in the national stadium,” said Deepak Bista, a National Taekwondo expert and Olympic athlete. “Being able to fulfil my childhood dream while spreading messages about HIV and AIDS is a great opportunity for me.”

Mr. Bista also displayed his football skills as he led the 'ARV Superstars' to victory by scoring two goals.

‘This campaign is just the beginning’

After the match, the players spoke with the media to make sure that the message of the event would be spread beyond those in attendance at the stadium.

“This silent pandemic deserves our serious attention,” said Manavi Dhakal, a popular VJ in Nepal.

“This campaign is just the beginning,” added Paras Khadka, a national cricketer.

Sugarika KC, a former Miss Nepal, added, “I hope this match will sensitize our youngsters about the issue.”

Focus on children living with HIV:

The whole event was organized by Saathi Sanga Manka Kura (SSMK), a popular radio programme, and Equal Access, a non-governmental organization, with support from UNICEF. The event was also supported by Family Health International, FHI/USAID and the Nepal Association of People Living with AIDS (NAPN).

The funds collected through ticket sales will be used for the care and treatment of HIV infected children, who account for roughly a third of those infected in Nepal.

“Whenever we talk about AIDS, we only think about adults,” said Nirnaya, a popular rap singer. “I was amazed to know that so many children are living with HIV in my country and these children really need our affection and attention.”