State Information Commission slapped fines on errant officers

In a significant order, the State Information Commisison has slapped a fine of Rs 9,750 (about USD 200) on two errant public information officers of the Nandurbar district administration (Maharashtra) for having caused enormous delay in satisfactorily responding to an application for information filed by a Sardar Sarovar project affected adivasi Siyaram Singa Padvi. Read more

The original application for information related to details of the road being constructed from Kudavidungar hamlet to Hirapada hamlet in village Danel, Tahsil Akkalkuva, District Nandurbar under the NREGA. The information demanded included details of sanction of the project, inauguration, display board, number of labourers, attendance register, enrolment registers etc.

It is notable that while the original application for information was filed with the Public Information Officer, Public Works Department (Molgi Sub-Division) on 11-05-09, the first reply was furnished on 19-05-09 in a very limited, incomplete ad misleading way. An appeal against this was filed with the departmental appellate authority on 6-07-2009 who gave a direction on 14-07-09 to provide the information, as requested for, by 27-07-09. However, information was not provided and the second appeal was filed with the State Information Commisison on 22-08-09. Though some information was provided on 5-09-09, it was again incomplete, false and misleading and it was stated that the muster rolls would not be given since the same is available on the website.

How could the PIO assume that the applicant who is not computer-literate have access to the internet?

When appeal came up for hearing before the Commisison on 08-12-09 in the presence of the Chief Information Commissioner (Maharashtra), Shri Suresh V Joshi, the applicant and the respondent PIOs, the delay and illegality was presented before the Commissioner on behalf of the applicant by NBA activist-advocate Yogini Khanolkar. Upon hearing the parties, the Commission recorded a delay of 39 days on behalf of the APIO and PIO in providing information and imposed a fine of Rs. 9,750 fine on them; at the rate of Rs 250/- per day. Each has to thus shell out Rs. 4895/- from their pocket. The order dated 24-12-09 directs that the amounts are to be recovered from the salary of the concerned officers i.e. the Senior clerk and Department sub-engineer and Assistant PIO of the Public Works Department (Molgi Division) for the month of January 2010 and the execution report is to be submitted to the Information Commission by 15-02-2010.

NBA welcomes this order which assumes significance in a district like Nandurbar where corruption in public works has become rampant. This particular project is also known to involve massive corruption and the above punishment in this context speaks a lot. We, however, also feel that the Information Commissioner could have invoked his full powers under the Act and his order could also have directed appropriate compensation, as provided for under the same Act, to the adivasi BPL applicant, Siyaram Padvi for the physical and mental hardship that has been caused to him.

Further, if one were to calculate the cumulative delay over many months, since May and considering that even until now wholly satisfactory information has not been furnished, the fine of Rs. 9,750/- would be inadequate, while it could have been anywhere upto Rs. 25000. The order should also have recommended disciplinary action against the erring officials, so that PIOs do not disregard and delay people’s applications, henceforth. In the light of this, the applicant feels the need to pursue further options at the appropriate legal fora for full justice and implementation of the true letter and spirit of the Act.

Geetanjali Chauhan, Vijay Valivi, Medha Patkar

State Information Commission slapped fines on errant officers

State Information Commission slapped fines on errant officers
In a significant order, the State Information Commisison has slapped a fine of Rs 9,750 (about USD 200) on two errant public information officers of the Nandurbar district administration (Maharashtra) for having caused enormous delay in satisfactorily responding to an application for information filed by a Sardar Sarovar project affected adivasi Siyaram Singa Padvi. Read more

The original application for information related to details of the road being constructed from Kudavidungar hamlet to Hirapada hamlet in village Danel, Tahsil Akkalkuva, District Nandurbar under the NREGA. The information demanded included details of sanction of the project, inauguration, display board, number of labourers, attendance register, enrolment registers etc.

It is notable that while the original application for information was filed with the Public Information Officer, Public Works Department (Molgi Sub-Division) on 11-05-09, the first reply was furnished on 19-05-09 in a very limited, incomplete ad misleading way. An appeal against this was filed with the departmental appellate authority on 6-07-2009 who gave a direction on 14-07-09 to provide the information, as requested for, by 27-07-09. However, information was not provided and the second appeal was filed with the State Information Commisison on 22-08-09. Though some information was provided on 5-09-09, it was again incomplete, false and misleading and it was stated that the muster rolls would not be given since the same is available on the website.

How could the PIO assume that the applicant who is not computer-literate have access to the internet?

When appeal came up for hearing before the Commisison on 08-12-09 in the presence of the Chief Information Commissioner (Maharashtra), Shri Suresh V Joshi, the applicant and the respondent PIOs, the delay and illegality was presented before the Commissioner on behalf of the applicant by NBA activist-advocate Yogini Khanolkar. Upon hearing the parties, the Commission recorded a delay of 39 days on behalf of the APIO and PIO in providing information and imposed a fine of Rs. 9,750 fine on them; at the rate of Rs 250/- per day. Each has to thus shell out Rs. 4895/- from their pocket. The order dated 24-12-09 directs that the amounts are to be recovered from the salary of the concerned officers i.e. the Senior clerk and Department sub-engineer and Assistant PIO of the Public Works Department (Molgi Division) for the month of January 2010 and the execution report is to be submitted to the Information Commission by 15-02-2010.

NBA welcomes this order which assumes significance in a district like Nandurbar where corruption in public works has become rampant. This particular project is also known to involve massive corruption and the above punishment in this context speaks a lot. We, however, also feel that the Information Commissioner could have invoked his full powers under the Act and his order could also have directed appropriate compensation, as provided for under the same Act, to the adivasi BPL applicant, Siyaram Padvi for the physical and mental hardship that has been caused to him.

Further, if one were to calculate the cumulative delay over many months, since May and considering that even until now wholly satisfactory information has not been furnished, the fine of Rs. 9,750/- would be inadequate, while it could have been anywhere upto Rs. 25000. The order should also have recommended disciplinary action against the erring officials, so that PIOs do not disregard and delay people’s applications, henceforth. In the light of this, the applicant feels the need to pursue further options at the appropriate legal fora for full justice and implementation of the true letter and spirit of the Act.

Geetanjali Chauhan, Vijay Valivi, Medha Patkar

Gandhians appeal to respect people's inalienable rights

"Freedom of expression is a fundamental right enshrined in the constitution of India. We are proud to live in a nation that believes in the ideal of universal human rights. However, sometimes the state expediently forgets its professed ideals and tries to ride roughshod over the rights of citizens. These transgressions have become more frequent as commercial, industrial and mining interests from all over the world have become more interested in the resources of this country" said veteran Gandhians Narayan Desai and Surendra Gadekar in a statement issued on DailySouthAsian. Read more

Narayan Desai is the son of Mahadev Desai who was Mahatma Gandhi’s secretary.

"Unfortunately, there has never been a dearth of local collaborators within this country who for the sake of a few personal crumbs are willing to sacrifice the future of a vast majority of our population to these foreign interests" say Desai and Gadekar.

"The adivasis of Chhatisgarh along with the poor in many parts of the country have been suffering exploitation and repression for a long time. Shri Himanshu Kumar, a long time Gandhian activist has gone on an indefinite fast in solidarity with his adivasi bretheren. The government, whether belonging to BJP in the state or the Congress in the centre has irrespective of political affiliation, chosen a path of brutal suppression of people's aspirations. The lure of wealth underground has proved stronger than the well-being of people living overground. It does not behove us as a people of a democratic nation to allow this brutality. I appeal to the government of both the state and the centre to respect the inalienable rights of the people and to rethink and realign their policies in line with people's wishes" further adds Narayan Desai and Surendra Gadekar.

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Gandhians appeal to respect people's inalienable rights

Gandhians appeal to respect people's inalienable rights
"Freedom of expression is a fundamental right enshrined in the constitution of India. We are proud to live in a nation that believes in the ideal of universal human rights. However, sometimes the state expediently forgets its professed ideals and tries to ride roughshod over the rights of citizens. These transgressions have become more frequent as commercial, industrial and mining interests from all over the world have become more interested in the resources of this country" said veteran Gandhians Narayan Desai and Surendra Gadekar in a statement issued on DailySouthAsian. Read more

Narayan Desai is the son of Mahadev Desai who was Mahatma Gandhi’s secretary.

"Unfortunately, there has never been a dearth of local collaborators within this country who for the sake of a few personal crumbs are willing to sacrifice the future of a vast majority of our population to these foreign interests" say Desai and Gadekar.

"The adivasis of Chhatisgarh along with the poor in many parts of the country have been suffering exploitation and repression for a long time. Shri Himanshu Kumar, a long time Gandhian activist has gone on an indefinite fast in solidarity with his adivasi bretheren. The government, whether belonging to BJP in the state or the Congress in the centre has irrespective of political affiliation, chosen a path of brutal suppression of people's aspirations. The lure of wealth underground has proved stronger than the well-being of people living overground. It does not behove us as a people of a democratic nation to allow this brutality. I appeal to the government of both the state and the centre to respect the inalienable rights of the people and to rethink and realign their policies in line with people's wishes" further adds Narayan Desai and Surendra Gadekar.

2010 is Year of the Lungs

The year 2010 was declared as year of the lungs to recognize that hundreds of millions of people around the world suffer each year from treatable and preventable chronic respiratory diseases. This initiative acknowledges that lung health has long been neglected in public discourses, and understands the need to unify different health advocates behind one purpose of lung health, informed Dr Nils Billo, Chair of the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS). Read more



The FIRS partners include the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), American Thoracic Society (ATS), Asian Pacific Society of Respirology (APSR), Asociacion Latinoamericana de Torax (ALAT), European Respiratory Society (ERS), Pan African Thoracic Society and American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP).

Earlier last year, the New York Times carried a series of articles on different parts of human body, but forgot the lungs! It is difficult to remain alive without lungs for more than few seconds!

The Declaration signed by the partners of the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) at the 40th Union World Conference on Lung Health last year read as following:
[Begin]
WE NOTE WITH GRAVE CONCERN THAT:
Hundreds of millions of people around the world suffer each year from treatable and preventable respiratory diseases, including tuberculosis (TB), asthma, lung cancer, H1N1, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
WE RECOGNIZE THAT:
Despite the magnitude of suffering and death caused by lung disease, lung health has long been neglected in public discourse and in public health decisions.
WE CALL UPON OUR PARTNERS TO:
Enact smoking cessation legislation and programs to reduce the prevalence and stigma of tobacco-related lung diseases.
[Ends]

There are a range of health and environmental factors that affect our lung health. This includes tuberculosis (TB), tobacco smoke, biomass fuel smoke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, pneumonia among other respiratory infections. The evidence of their potentially devastating effects on global public health is increasing and they require a coordinated approach for control. These diseases all occur in predominantly resource-poor countries. They are perpetuated by poverty and inadequate resources and their control and management require coordinated approach among health programmes at all levels.

Statistically, there is 1 TB-related death that takes place every 18 seconds, 1 HIV death every 16 seconds, 1 child dies of pneumonia every 15 seconds and 1 smoking-related death every 13 seconds. The enormous public challenge posed by the combined epidemics of tobacco smoking, HIV, TB and COPD, is undoubtedly alarming.

More than 2 billion people or a third of the world's total population, are infected with mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is now the world's seventh-leading cause of death. It killed 1.8 million people worldwide last year, up from 1.77 million in 2007. It is one of the three primary diseases that are closely linked to poverty, the other two being AIDS and malaria.

Tobacco smoking is unquestionably the primary risk factor for COPD. More than 5 million deaths are attributed to tobacco use every year. Smokers have two fold higher risk of developing active TB disease. Tobacco smokers have 2 times more risk of dieing of TB. Tobacco smoke increases the risk of pneumonia, influenza, menningococcal meningitis, among others. Evidence is accumulating that smoking is a risk factor for TB. However there is no published data on the cellular interactions of tobacco smoke and mycobacterium tuberculosis. The risk to develop active TB disease is higher when tobacco smoking is combined with alcohol.

Dr Donald Enarson stressed that tobacco smoking cessation is an important part of the comprehensive tobacco control programme, and not the only part. So all components of the comprehensive tobacco control measures should be implemented for improving public health outcomes. Dr Enarson was referring to MPOWER report from Tobacco Free Initiative (TFI) of WHO which outlines the MPOWER package, a set of six key tobacco control measures that reflect and build on the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC, global tobacco treaty). Another delegates remarked that MPOWER is in line with the global tobacco treaty - FCTC - and we should be demanding implementation of the treaty to which governments have committed to enforce. The WHO FCTC is the first public health and corporate accountability treaty, said a delegate from India. Comprehensive tobacco control programmes can yield major public health outcomes, as 30% of male TB patients die of tobacco smoking.

Asthma is yet another major lung health challenge. It is a chronic disease that affects airways. When people have asthma, the inside walls of their airways become sore and swollen. That makes them very sensitive, and they may react strongly to things that they are allergic to or find irritating. When airways react, they get narrower and lungs get less air. This can cause wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and trouble breathing, especially early in the morning or at night. When asthma symptoms become worse than usual, it's called an asthma attack. In a severe asthma attack, the airways can close so much that vital organs do not get enough oxygen. People can die from severe asthma attacks.

More than 300 million people around the world have asthma, and the disease imposes a heavy burden on individuals, families, and societies. The Global Burden of Asthma Report, indicates that asthma control often falls short and there are many barriers to asthma control around the world. Proper long-term management of asthma will permit most patients to achieve good control of their disease. Yet in many regions around the world, this goal is often not met. Poor asthma control is also seen in the lifestyle limitations experienced by some people with asthma. For example, in some regions, up to one in four children with asthma is unable to attend school regularly because of poor asthma control. Asthma deaths are the ultimate, tragic evidence of uncontrolled asthma.

According to the Global Burden of Asthma Report, the majority of asthma deaths in some regions of the world are preventable. Effective asthma treatments exist and, with proper diagnosis, education, and treatment, the great majority of asthma patients can achieve and maintain good control of their disease. When asthma is under control, patients can live full and active lives.

Pneumonia claims two million children under five each year, yet no new drug, vaccine or special diagnostic test is needed to save their lives. The answers are at hand, and effective treatment is both inexpensive and widely available.

Host of other conditions that affect the lungs, are preventable, and often treatable.

Let us hope that 2010 Year of The Lung initiative of FIRS succeeds in putting the spotlight on the long neglected part of human body which New York Times missed, the lungs.

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2010 is Year of the Lungs

2010 is Year of the Lungs
The year 2010 was declared as year of the lungs to recognize that hundreds of millions of people around the world suffer each year from treatable and preventable chronic respiratory diseases. This initiative acknowledges that lung health has long been neglected in public discourses, and understands the need to unify different health advocates behind one purpose of lung health, informed Dr Nils Billo, Chair of the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS). Read more



The FIRS partners include the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), American Thoracic Society (ATS), Asian Pacific Society of Respirology (APSR), Asociacion Latinoamericana de Torax (ALAT), European Respiratory Society (ERS), Pan African Thoracic Society and American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP).

Earlier last year, the New York Times carried a series of articles on different parts of human body, but forgot the lungs! It is difficult to remain alive without lungs for more than few seconds!

The Declaration signed by the partners of the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) at the 40th Union World Conference on Lung Health last year read as following:
[Begin]
WE NOTE WITH GRAVE CONCERN THAT:
Hundreds of millions of people around the world suffer each year from treatable and preventable respiratory diseases, including tuberculosis (TB), asthma, lung cancer, H1N1, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
WE RECOGNIZE THAT:
Despite the magnitude of suffering and death caused by lung disease, lung health has long been neglected in public discourse and in public health decisions.
WE CALL UPON OUR PARTNERS TO:
Enact smoking cessation legislation and programs to reduce the prevalence and stigma of tobacco-related lung diseases.
[Ends]

There are a range of health and environmental factors that affect our lung health. This includes tuberculosis (TB), tobacco smoke, biomass fuel smoke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, pneumonia among other respiratory infections. The evidence of their potentially devastating effects on global public health is increasing and they require a coordinated approach for control. These diseases all occur in predominantly resource-poor countries. They are perpetuated by poverty and inadequate resources and their control and management require coordinated approach among health programmes at all levels.

Statistically, there is 1 TB-related death that takes place every 18 seconds, 1 HIV death every 16 seconds, 1 child dies of pneumonia every 15 seconds and 1 smoking-related death every 13 seconds. The enormous public challenge posed by the combined epidemics of tobacco smoking, HIV, TB and COPD, is undoubtedly alarming.

More than 2 billion people or a third of the world's total population, are infected with mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is now the world's seventh-leading cause of death. It killed 1.8 million people worldwide last year, up from 1.77 million in 2007. It is one of the three primary diseases that are closely linked to poverty, the other two being AIDS and malaria.

Tobacco smoking is unquestionably the primary risk factor for COPD. More than 5 million deaths are attributed to tobacco use every year. Smokers have two fold higher risk of developing active TB disease. Tobacco smokers have 2 times more risk of dieing of TB. Tobacco smoke increases the risk of pneumonia, influenza, menningococcal meningitis, among others. Evidence is accumulating that smoking is a risk factor for TB. However there is no published data on the cellular interactions of tobacco smoke and mycobacterium tuberculosis. The risk to develop active TB disease is higher when tobacco smoking is combined with alcohol.

Dr Donald Enarson stressed that tobacco smoking cessation is an important part of the comprehensive tobacco control programme, and not the only part. So all components of the comprehensive tobacco control measures should be implemented for improving public health outcomes. Dr Enarson was referring to MPOWER report from Tobacco Free Initiative (TFI) of WHO which outlines the MPOWER package, a set of six key tobacco control measures that reflect and build on the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC, global tobacco treaty). Another delegates remarked that MPOWER is in line with the global tobacco treaty - FCTC - and we should be demanding implementation of the treaty to which governments have committed to enforce. The WHO FCTC is the first public health and corporate accountability treaty, said a delegate from India. Comprehensive tobacco control programmes can yield major public health outcomes, as 30% of male TB patients die of tobacco smoking.

Asthma is yet another major lung health challenge. It is a chronic disease that affects airways. When people have asthma, the inside walls of their airways become sore and swollen. That makes them very sensitive, and they may react strongly to things that they are allergic to or find irritating. When airways react, they get narrower and lungs get less air. This can cause wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and trouble breathing, especially early in the morning or at night. When asthma symptoms become worse than usual, it's called an asthma attack. In a severe asthma attack, the airways can close so much that vital organs do not get enough oxygen. People can die from severe asthma attacks.

More than 300 million people around the world have asthma, and the disease imposes a heavy burden on individuals, families, and societies. The Global Burden of Asthma Report, indicates that asthma control often falls short and there are many barriers to asthma control around the world. Proper long-term management of asthma will permit most patients to achieve good control of their disease. Yet in many regions around the world, this goal is often not met. Poor asthma control is also seen in the lifestyle limitations experienced by some people with asthma. For example, in some regions, up to one in four children with asthma is unable to attend school regularly because of poor asthma control. Asthma deaths are the ultimate, tragic evidence of uncontrolled asthma.

According to the Global Burden of Asthma Report, the majority of asthma deaths in some regions of the world are preventable. Effective asthma treatments exist and, with proper diagnosis, education, and treatment, the great majority of asthma patients can achieve and maintain good control of their disease. When asthma is under control, patients can live full and active lives.

Pneumonia claims two million children under five each year, yet no new drug, vaccine or special diagnostic test is needed to save their lives. The answers are at hand, and effective treatment is both inexpensive and widely available.

Host of other conditions that affect the lungs, are preventable, and often treatable.

Let us hope that 2010 Year of The Lung initiative of FIRS succeeds in putting the spotlight on the long neglected part of human body which New York Times missed, the lungs.

Published in:
Scoop.com, New Zealand
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
The Botswana Gazettes, Botswana, Africa
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Go well Dr Radium Bhattacharya

Go well Dr Radium Bhattacharya

Dr Radium Bhattacharya breathed her last in early morning wee hours of Sunday, 20 December 2009. She was one of the first veteran AIDS activists in India to take up the fight against AIDS in 1980s. Her contribution to HIV prevention options for women and enabling civil society working on AIDS-related issues to network and collaborate effectively to improve HIV response was a benchmark indeed. Read more

She was the founder-president of Indian Network of NGOs on HIV/AIDS (INN) - national network of non-governmental organizations working on HIV/AIDS issues in India that she had founded in 1994. Today INN is a network of more than 500 NGOs working on issues-related to HIV/AIDS across the country, with several state-level networks too. Dr Radium was leading the Gujarat AIDS Prevention unit (GAP) from her humble office in Ahmedabad.

My association with Dr Radium began in second half of the year 2000 when she convinced me repeatedly to document and raise awareness about women's specific needs for HIV prevention options - and above all, familiarised me with the word that was "Micro... what?" then to me - Microbicides. At the annual national convention of INN in February 2001, in Ahmedabad, Megan Gottemoeller from Global Campaign for Microbicides (GCM) along with Mitchell Warren from Female Health Foundation were there at this INN convention in Ahmedabad contributing enormously in raising awareness about and mobilizing INN partners to respond to HIV prevention needs of women. Microbicides and female condoms both were in spotlight at the 2001 INN national convention. Megan, during her presentation then, had asked the participants how many of them had ever-heard of microbicides, only three hands went up. As the years rolled by, majority of INN partners contributed in pushing the microbicides advocacy agenda in India. It was indeed Dr Radium's commitment to the cause that was instrumental in strategically mobilizing civil society to advocate for accelerating microbicides research and advocacy, with the government, researchers and other stakeholders, and also to lobby for improved representation of civil society as equal partners in microbicides development as research went ahead. Lori Heise, then-Director of Global Campaign for Microbicides (GCM) along with her dedicated team had built the competence of advocates from civil society in India on a range of ethical issues related to microbicides research, and Dr Radium surely took up the mantle to sensitize INN partners in states where microbicides research was taking place and push for regular interface between researchers and civil society to ensure ethical standards were being met as research advanced.

In 2002, during one of her visits to Delhi, she dropped in at the office of PATH India. Mr Vinay Kumar from PATH was very supportive and PATH's commitment to microbicides research further enhanced the advocacy for HIV prevention options for women. National Working group on Microbicides, National Workshops on HIV Prevention option for women, National Policy Workshop on Microbicides, National Stakeholder Meeting on Microbicides, were some of the most tangible outcomes in 2003 and years that followed, strengthening microbicides advocacy and engaging civil society meaningfully as the research progressed ahead in India. Not surprisingly, she was the co-chair of the Community and Advocacy (Track D) Committee of the International Microbicides Conference in New Delhi, India (2008).

Dr Radium along with INN partners, particularly those like Naz Foundation International (NFI) and Bharosa Trust that have contributed to addressing the HIV prevention needs, and improving the sexual health and human rights of marginalised males who have sex with males (MSM), their partners and families, took up the mantle of raising the neglected issue of rectal microbicides research in Indian perspective. There was no microbicide-candidate product being researched upon in India for rectal use - and MSM being recognized by the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) as one of the key high-risk population for HIV, it made sense for INN to work with partners to raise the understanding of HIV prevention needs among the community, and also explore if rectal microbicides were something Indian MSM communities might want to advocate for. With support from GCM, INN convened a national workshop with MSM networks and since then, the advocacy has only upped for rectal microbicides in India.
In one such state-level advocacy workshop on microbicides to sensitize INN partners on ethical issues in microbicides research and encourage them to get involved with microbicides research in their own state of Tamil Nadu, she began the first national dedicated electronic discussion group (eGroup) for information exchange and discussion on issues around Microbicides research, advocacy and community involvement in India, on 11 June 2005. In time, this eGroup connected more than 900 people. Now with Microbicides Society of India (MSI) taking leadership in India, of which Dr Radium was the board member, this eGroup is used currently by MSI.

HIV prevention option for women is just one area where Dr Radium’s defining contribution in terms of building up the civil society response as research progressed ahead, was a landmark. Back in her own state of Gujarat, her contribution to HIV/AIDS response in general was phenomenal. She was one of the veterans to step up the fight against AIDS in India in 1980s, undoubtedly, and recognize early-on the vital role of partnerships and of civil society representation in the AIDS response which led to formation of INN in 1994.

It is an enormous personal loss to me - as she meant no less than my mother. Similar expressions abound as condolences pour in. I have a confession to make too – as I feel very guilty of not keeping promises I made to Dr Radium. When I met her last in Ahmedabad, she was bravely recovering from her illness, and I, was one of those who had promised her to contribute in taking the INN responsibilities while she was recuperating. Despite of my best intentions, I could never keep the promise I made to her and hope for her forgiveness. The only redemption could be to complete the unfinished task, and contribute truly in improving the AIDS response.

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