Hopes rest on a new rapid diagnostic test for tuberculosis (TB)

One of the best chances of stemming the tide of tuberculosis (TB) epidemic in low- and middle- income countries is to thwart the transmission cycle – by diagnosing TB early, and treating it successfully without delay. The microscope has been around since 1882 as the key standard TB diagnostic tool, and with low sensitivity (50-60%) and other challenges in detecting TB in varying conditions and co-morbidities, it is clear that it is high time we use better, more effective and efficient tools to accurately detect TB, and neither mis-diagnose nor miss TB diagnosis in myriad settings. Read more

This was a clear thought emerging out of the 'International Symposium on Tuberculosis Diagnostics: Innovating to make an impact' (ITBS 2010), organized by the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) in New Delhi, India (16-17 December 2010) with support from the Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND).

Although high-income countries have moved on to using better and modern diagnostic tools, many low- and middle- income countries still rely principally on sputum smear microscopy.

One of the diagnostic tools that the World Health Organization (WHO) recently endorsed is a fully automated Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) - Xpert ® MTB/RIF - a new and novel rapid test for TB, especially relevant in high TB burden countries. According to the WHO, the test could revolutionize TB care and control by providing an accurate diagnosis for many patients in about 100 minutes, compared to current tests that can take up to three months to have results. This WHO endorsement of the NAAT has come after 18 months of rigorous assessment of its field effectiveness in the early diagnosis of TB, as well as multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) and TB complicated by HIV infection, which are more difficult to diagnose.

THREE-FOLD INCREASE IN DIAGNOSING DRUG-RESISTANT TB POSSIBLE
According to the WHO, evidence to date indicates that implementation of this test could result in a three-fold increase in the diagnosis of patients with drug-resistant TB and a doubling in the number of HIV-associated TB cases diagnosed in areas with high rates of TB and HIV.

But this new 'while you wait' test incorporates modern DNA technology that can be used outside of conventional laboratories. It also benefits from being fully automated and therefore easy and safe to use.

WHO is now calling for the fully automated NAAT to be rolled out under clearly defined conditions and as part of national plans for TB and MDR-TB care and control. Policy and operational guidance are also being issued based on findings from a series of expert reviews and a global consultation held last week in Geneva. The consultation was attended by more than a hundred representatives from national programmes, development aid agencies and international partners.  

75% REDUCTION IN PRICE FOR COUNTRIES MOST AFFECTED BY TB
Affordability has been a key concern in the assessment process. Co-developer FIND (the Foundation for Innovative and New Diagnostics) announced recently it has negotiated with the manufacturer, Cepheid, a 75% reduction in the price for countries most affected by TB, compared to the current market price. Preferential pricing will be granted to 116 low- and middle- income countries where TB is endemic, with additional reduction in price once there is significant volume of demand.

"There has been a strong commitment to remove any obstacles, including financial barriers, that could prevent the successful roll-out of this new technology," said Dr Giorgio Roscigno, FIND's Chief Executive Officer in a WHO communique. "For the first time in TB control, we are enabling access to state-of-the-art technology simultaneously in low, middle and high income countries. The technology also allows testing of other diseases, which should further increase efficiency."

WHO is also releasing recommendations and guidance for countries to incorporate this test in their programmes. This includes testing protocols (or algorithms) to optimize the use and benefits of the new technology in those persons where it is needed most.

Though there have been major improvements in TB care and control, tuberculosis killed an estimated 1.7 million people in 2009 and 9.4 million people developed active TB last year.

Bobby Ramakant - CNS 


Published in:
The Asian Tribune, Sri Lanka/Thailand  
Modern Ghana News, Accra, Ghana  
The Brunei Times, Brunei 
Elites TV News, USA
American Chronicle, USA
World News Network (WNN), USA
Now Public News, India              
The Scoop News, New Zealand        
American Towns, USA      
All Voices News, New Delhi, India 
Banderas News, Mexico  
All Headlines News, India
Responsive Health, News 
Canyon Community Bank
Pvwiternews.com
Redditnews.com
Healthdev.net
Consumer Electronic Wins 
Thetvrealist.com
Hurrypottering.com     
Misicifi.com                                                              

Flashback: CNS Stop-TB Initiative in 2010

As we move towards the end of 2010, we would like to take this opportunity to wish you all Seasons Greetings and a happy, healthy and peaceful new year in 2011. We at CNS Stop-TB Initiative will like to thank our thousands of visitors for their support and participation on a range of issues around tuberculosis (TB) control and TB-HIV co-infection. Read more

The Stop-TB eForum in 2010

**************************

The Stop-TB eForum was established by the Health and Development Networks (HDN) in early 2001 in lead up to the first Stop TB Partners' Forum to facilitate online information exchange and dialogue on a range of TB-related issues on a daily basis.

MoU

---

In 2010, a memorandum of understanding between the Stop TB Partnership, the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) and the International HIV/AIDS Alliance was signed to continue supporting the Stop-TB eForum over coming years. We thank the Stop-TB members for speaking their world through the platform.

ISSUES in 2010 on Stop-TB eForum

-------------------------------

Reflecting back on the year, we are pleased to remind you of a few issues and topics that struck a particular cord with members, generating lively dialogue. Some of these issues include:

- TB in mobile populations

- Jailing ('confining') of TB patients

- The Global Plan to Stop TB 2011-2015

- TB care and control in civil/ political unrest

- TB care and control in natural calamities

- Infection control in healthcare settings

- TB in children

- TB in people using injecting drugs

- TB/HIV collaborative activities in different countries

- Drug-resistant TB - both multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB)

- Role of affected communities in driving the responses to TB/HIV

- TB and poverty

- Issues around research for new and better TB diagnostics, drugs and vaccines

- TB related stigma

- Tuberculosis and tobacco use

- Tuberculosis and diabetes co-morbidity

- Hepatitis C, TB, HIV and injecting drug-use in prisons

- TB-HIV co-infection

- Adherence to anti-TB treatment

- Isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT)
- Lung health
- Year of the lungs (2010)

ON-SITE ISSUE-BASED COVERAGE of TB conferences in 2010:

------------------------------------------------------

With support from the community writers of Citizen News Service (CNS) CNS provided on-site coverage from a range of events related to TB in 2010.

1. 41st Union World Conference on Lung Health, Berlin, Germany

FIFTY FIVE (55) CNS articles are online at: http://www.citizen-news.org/search/label/Berlin%202010  

2. Consultative workshop of TB and poverty sub-working group of Stop TB Partnership  (29-30 October 2010)

CNS coverage is online at: http://www.citizen-news.org/2010/12/cns-coverage-from-tb-and-poverty-sub.html

3. Open Forum 4: on key issues in TB drug development, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (18-19 August 2010)

CNS coverage online at: http://www.citizen-news.org/2010/09/cns-coverage-in-lead-up-to-and-on-site.html  

4. XVIII International AIDS Conference, Austria (July 2010)

CNS Coverage online at: http://www.citizen-news.org/2010/08/cns-coverage-in-lead-up-to-and-on-site.html  

5. "Research and development of new TB vaccines" Symposium, Zaragoza, Spain (3-4 June 2010)

CNS coverage online at: http://www.citizen-news.org/2010/06/cns-coverage-from-research-and.html

6. 2nd Global Forum on TB Vaccines, Tallinn, Estonia (21-24 September 2010)

CNS coverage online at: http://www.citizen-news.org/2010/10/cns-coverage-from-2nd-global-forum-on.html

7. International Symposium on Tuberculosis Diagnostics (ITBS 2010) - 16-17 December 2010

CNS coverage online at: http://www.citizen-news.org/search/label/ITBS%202010

ARCHIVES

---------

The Stop-TB eForum archives are available online at: www.HealthDev.org/stop-tb

HealthDev.net

--------------

HealthDev.net continues to host online consultation 24 hours/ 365 days a year and be welcome to speak-your-world on www.HealthDev.net  

Winter break

------------

The Stop-TB eForum will be closing today for the winter-break and resume postings on Monday, 3rd January 2011.

A joy-filled Christmas and happy New Year!

CNS Stop-TB Initiative

Email: stoptb@citizen-news.org 

ASICON 2010 showcases modern advancements in surgery

The 70th annual conference of Association of Surgeons of India (ASICON) being held in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) campus, New Delhi, India, is showcasing recent and most modern advancements in surgery. More than 7000 surgeons from India and other countries are participating in ASICON 2010 (15-20 December ,2010), said Dr NK Pandey, national President of Association of Surgeons of India (ASI) and Managing Director of Asian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS). Dr Pandey is a recepient of the most coveted award in medicine in India - Dr BC Roy Award. Read more

Many illustrious surgeons from India are present in ASICON 2010 including BC Roy Awardee and President ASI Dr NK Pandey, honorary secretary of ASI Dr RK Karwasra, President-elect of ASI Dr BK Sinha, Treasurer of ASI Dr PS Bakshi and WHO Director-General's Awardee (2005) and former Head of Surgery Dept CSMMU Professor (Dr) Rama Kant.

"The 70th  annual conference of the Association of Surgeons of India (ASICON) showcases advancements in surgeries in the recent decade. Surgery, which is both art and science, is the most vital and critical part of medical science. Numerous types of surgeries and procedures were telecasted live from hospitals in India and abroad to the venue in ASICON city ,which is set up in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi campus. Basic and advanced procedures were shown live to the audience. Around 1300 research papers were presented too" said eminent Surgeon Dr NK Pandey.

"Newer and more advanced specialities are being added to surgery. The technique of natural orifice technological endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is a an extremely critical development in the field of surgery. It will introduce a dynamic shift in the field of surgery by taking surgical precision to a new level and cutting down on recovery time. The evaluation process for this has already started. In this surgery, not even a stitch is required. Also the simulator based surgical training, which is the latest and very important development, will bring down the rate of mistakes in surgery by almost five hundred percent. The safety aspect for the patient is doubled. Minimally invasive techniques introduced in the recent past have resulted in a drastic reduction of morbidity and mortality occurring due to surgical procedures. Patients benefit by reduced pain and a faster recovery because of the procedure" further added Dr NK Pandey, who is the surgeon heading the premier healthcare centre - Asian Institute of Medical Sciences.

"The need of the hour is to develop a comprehensive health plan, so that benefits of modern medicine and good health reach to the remotest of areas, and rural population benefits from these advancements. Unfortunately, health infrastructure needs to develop at a much faster pace in order to meet demands of growing healthcare needs of the population, be it hospital beds, medical education college or universities" rightly said Dr NK Pandey.

The ASI through it's network of chapters all over the country is working to benefit the poor who need basic healthcare amenities and most importantly need to learn the importance of preventive healthcare practices.Also the association through it's chapters also has a valuable data bank to suggest the pattern and type of diseases on the rise in different geographical locations in the country.

The ASI also plans to collaborate with various nodal government health agencies to further it's agenda of making India a surgical hub, furthering medical tourism and making latest surgical techniques accessible to the backward and rural areas through it's network. (CNS)

Published in:
The Asian Tribune, Thailand/ Sri Lanka
American Chronicle, USA
The Nigerian Voice, Lagos, Nigeria
Modern Ghana, Accra, Ghana
Florida Today, Florida, USA
The Pakistan Christian Post, Pakistan
All News Ghana, Accra, Ghana
News Blaze, California, USA
Citizen News Service (CNS), Thailand
Elites TV, California, USA
Banderas News, Mexico
Yahoo! News
Google News
India Times, Delhi, India
Bio Med Middle East, UAE
Pakistan 7x24 News, Pakistan
The South Asia Mail
PV Writers, Mexico
Topix News, Turkey 
Bihar and Jharkhand News Service (BJNS)
AllVoices.com
HarryPottering.com
Topix com
Twitter com
NowPublic.com
Keegy India com
Laparoscopic Surgery com

Early diagnosis and treatment for tuberculosis can turn the tide

Although significant advances in tuberculosis (TB) control have taken place over the past years, the TB levels are not going down as fast as expected earlier (10% decline every year was projected). Not to say that commendable work hasn’t happened in TB control – rather TB control has received major thrust over the past decade certainly in terms of programming, strategy (new Global Plan to Stop TB 2011-2015 was just released in October 2010), funding and research initiatives as well. However despite of all the good, the new TB cases continue to emerge and TB levels haven't reduced as earlier estimated (TB rates are coming down, but coming down too slowly). Read more

If we diagnose TB early, we also prevent TB from spreading to others. Cutting TB transmission cycle can potentially turn the tide, said experts.

WE ARE NOT DETECTING TB EARLY ENOUGH Where are we missing the defining pulse? Most likely we are not detecting TB early enough and mis-diagnosis and missed-diagnosis of TB are other challenges among many others that continue to puzzle us, said Dr Pawan Sharma, convener of the 'International Symposium on Tuberculosis Diagnostics: Innovating to make an impact' (ITBS 2010).

The ITBS 2010 is being organized by the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) in New Delhi, India (16-17 December 2010) with support from the Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND).

"In roughly 55 years we have squandered our precious legacy of chemotherapy for TB…" said Dr William E Bishai from John Hopkins University. According to the World Health Organization, anti-TB drug resistance is a result of poor programme performance of DOTS – the WHO recommended strategy for treating TB. Patients with drug-resistant forms of TB – like multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) or extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) have severely limited treatment options, or at times with XDR-TB, there is virtually no option left for treatment. For patients with XDR-TB that have no treatment option left it is like going back to the pre-antibiotic era before 1940s where TB was not treatable.

"How did we get into this mess?" asked Dr William Bishai. Lack of prevention (vaccines), lack of treatment, lack of diagnostics and biomarkers and lack of appreciation of complexity were key reasons listed by Dr Bishai for the difficult challenge TB poses today.

"Microscope remains the fundamental diagnostic tool since 1882 when Dr Robert Koch invented it" said a representative of Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND).

In a study done in India, it was found that the direct costs incurred on TB diagnosis and treatment were just 1/5 of the total costs a patient incurs during TB therapy (direct cost: 0.5 billion, indirect costs: 2.5 billion). A lot of these costs a patient incurs happen before he or she gets to the proper TB clinic – and a significant amount of time is also lost as well, at times spanning months and years till proper therapy begins. Also in terms of spreading TB infection, it is very important to diagnose TB as early as possible to cut transmission cycle.

The DOTS expansion has not resulted in better case detection rates (case detection has more or less remained steady) – despite of rapid expansion of DOTS - so we need to do more than implementing DOTS, said the FIND representative.

In a study done by Dr Girzybowski, it was found that if any of the parents have smear-negative TB, children were found to have the same chance to get infected with TB as someone in the community (which is much lower), however if the parent had smear positive TB, then at least 35% chance exist of the children to get infected with TB.

No doubt, there is a strategic need for early diagnosis of TB, and sensitivity and speed of the diagnostic tools are keys to cut the transmission cycle, said FIND representative.

Another good example comes from Peru where Peruvian TB control programme is doing all what is possible to do in that scenario. TB rates in Peru dropped phenomenally in early years but since past 5 years, the rates have more or less remained same. Probably the need to diagnose TB early in those who are currently either being missed or those who get diagnosed very late is crucial and compelling.

Just last week, the WHO endorsed a new and novel rapid test for TB, especially relevant in countries most affected by the disease. The test could revolutionize TB care and control by providing an accurate diagnosis for many patients in about 100 minutes, compared to current tests that can take up to three months to have results.

"This new test represents a major milestone for global TB diagnosis and care. It also represents new hope for the millions of people who are at the highest risk of TB and drug-resistant disease." said Dr Mario Raviglione, Director of WHO's Stop TB Department. "We have the scientific evidence, we have defined the policy, and now we aim to support implementation for impact in countries."

WHO's endorsement of the rapid test, which is a fully automated NAAT (nucleic acid amplification test) follows 18 months of rigorous assessment of its field effectiveness in the early diagnosis of TB, as well as multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) and TB complicated by HIV infection, which are more difficult to diagnose.

Evidence to date indicates that implementation of this test could result in a three-fold increase in the diagnosis of patients with drug-resistant TB and a doubling in the number of HIV-associated TB cases diagnosed in areas with high rates of TB and HIV.

Bobby Ramakant - CNS

Published in:
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand 
News Blazes News, California, USA
Now Public News, India   
Elites TV News, California, USA
Topix News, Turkey   
Healthdev.net 
World Care Council, USA
American Chronicle, USA
Hurrypotering.com   
Connect.in.com  
Jerseyshorereality.com     
Silobreaker News 
Frienndfeed.com   
Gleekifi.com                                                                 

Winning project pictures life with Tuberculosis

The TB Photovoice Project, the winner of the 2010 TB Survival Prize, started as a one man's way to deal with the loss of his beloved ones to tuberculosis (TB). By now, it is touching the lives of many people around the world, helping – through pictures and narratives – to empower and raise the voices of persons and communities affected by the disease. Read more

The Tuberculosis Survival Prize is given each year by the Tuberculosis Survival Project, with support from the Lilly MDR-TB Partnership. The prize, an annual award of USD 2000, is awarded in recognition of innovation in TB/MDR-TB advocacy and social mobilization by individuals, groups or NGOs working in the field of HIV/TB or TB/MDR-TB. During a ceremony at the 41st Union World Conference on Lung Health in Berlin, Germany (November 11-15) the prize this year went to TB Photovoice.

The TB Photovoice Project provides cameras to community members (survivors, caregivers, friends, family) affected by TB, who take photographs that help them identify and improve their communities. The photographs and their stories represent what is happening in the participants' lives and serve as a point for discussion about what can be done to change the present situation in regards to TB, adherence, support, stigma, education and related issues. These photographs and their accompanying narratives give a face and voice to TB. There are initiatives in among others Brazil, Mexico, Thailand and the United States. The Stop TB Survivor award enables the project to start up a TB Photovoice in Kenya too.

Romel Lacson, founder of the Amaya-Lacson TB Photovoice Project, was personally affected by the disease, losing both his wife Claudia Amaya and their newborn daughter Emma to tuberculosis meningitis in 2004. "The project was sort of my reaction to that," he said at the sidelines of the conference. "I did not have TB myself but my family and my wife's family were providing care of her throughout the time she was in hospital. We felt very isolated, very disconnected from the world. When Claudia passed away it turned my life upside down. I had to try to make sense."

Over the years, the various initiatives - in partnership with local organizations - gave different meanings to TB Photovoice. "They have a basic foundation for it but depending on the mission of the particular organization and on the coordinator who is implementing and facilitating it, it really takes a character of its own," Lacson says. Yet there are core aspects that remain, such as photography, using images, narrative storytelling, dialogue, group discussions and ethical use of the camera. "Part of the training is to instill a sense of responsibility of the photographer that they take pictures that don't invade people's privacy or are not going to hinder any kind of confidentiality of what happened."

Eva M. Moya is involved with setting up TB Photovoice projects throughout the U.S.-Mexico border and in Mexico. With resources of the Amaya-Lacson Foundation a pilot TB Photovoice (Voices and Images of Tuberculosis) Project in the United States-Mexican border region was started in 2006. "We immediately realized we had to do it in a bi-national fashion,” Moya recalls. “It is a border community where tuberculosis knows no boundaries, where it doesn't need a visa to travel north or south."

Two groups of persons affected by TB were formed and received training, setting up photo galleries within four months. Policy and decision makers were invited and witnessed the work of the participants, and were asked to make commitments. "One of the beauties of this methodology is that you can actually see commitments," Moya says. "Which you can follow through time with decision, policy makers and health authorities so that there could be improvement. Whether it is in the area of access of services, in the leveraging of resources, or in making services much more focused on the person and services that are free of stigma and discrimination."

Through a partnership with Project Concern International SOLUCION TB the TB Photovoice (Voices and Images of Tuberculosis) initiative now includes nine projects in Mexico. Galleries that continue to move between communities. It was followed by Nuestra Casa, a three-dimensional house that reflects the life and stories of people affected by TB.

TB Photovoice asks its participants to be critical of their own community and their reality. "We ask them to tell us what it is that they see, to explain what is happening in their lives, to indicate where the problems, issues and challenges are. And then to be able to work with solutions," Moya says. Eventually many participants become activists. "There is a lot of overcoming of fears, sometimes of embarrassment, of distress, of sadness, of actually even rage, because several of our participants were unfortunately misdiagnosed. And they sort of transform that into a very powerful experience and they say well, we need to let the larger community know. It is very powerful when the story comes from the person affected and is presented to decision and policymakers, because it comes actually from the perspective of having lived the experience."

Rachel C. Orduño, one of the first participants in the U.S.-Mexico border project, lived the experience. She was diagnosed with TB in 2006 after three years of many misdiagnoses. Her treatment lasted 9 months. Her (at that time) 3 year old niece also had active TB and six other family members were treated for latent TB. Orduño remembers feeling helpless, frustrated and angry because of the misdiagnosis. Participating in the TB Photovoice Project altered these emotions.

"For people who are going through treatment, TB survivors, it is really important to share with other people," Orduño stresses. "For me TB Photovoice was first and foremost a support group. We gave each other advice and support and direction. The activist and advocacy aspect of it came later, once we felt like we can do something about it: we can't just ask the medical establishment to take care of us, we can't expect the government to look after us, we need to do something."

For Orduño that motivation came from being a group, having people to share ideas and the feeling of having something to contribute. "Now I don't see the power differential of the medical expert and the patient," she says. "Now it is the medical professional who got a lot of training plus the persons affected by the TB experience, the experience that makes us the experts. And seeing how we can be partners in developing a lot more effective treatments, how to reach the public at large and the public services."

The project even helped diminish her feelings of guilt. "That is something else that people don't tell you, that sometimes you feel very guilty for transmitting the disease to your most loved ones," she says. "I learned that for every year that I was untreated and had active TB, I could have infected 15 other people. So I may have possibly caused 45 infections. However by speaking up now, by spreading the word that we can do something about it, every one of us, all of us who have been directly been affected by TB and every medical professional and everyone who knows their story, we can all contribute. We can all try and do our best to recognize the symptoms and just be aware that TB is out there everywhere in the world. Anyone that breathes is at risk so everyone has a moral obligation and it would be a public service to do your part to contain it."

Babs Verblackt - CNS 
(The author is a freelance journalist and a Fellow of CNS Writers' Bureau)

Published in: 
The Asian Tribune, Sri Lanka/Thailand 
Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand
Modern Ghana News, Accra, Ghana
Scoop News, New Zea Land 
Pakistan Christian Post, Karachi, Pakistan  
Elites TV News, USA
The Nigerian Voice, Nigeria
World News Network(WNN), USA
Now Public News, India
PVwriter News, Mexico 
All Voices News, India
Montreal Sun, Montreal 
Vancouver Herald, Vancouver, Canada 
Indonesia Globe, Jakarta, Indonesia
Bali Times, Bali
Gkrom.com
Healthdev.net
Connect.in.com
Musicifi.com
Jersey Shore Reality
Truebloodifi.com
Merolinknews.com
Twitter.com

Iranian sentiments overwhelm the Gaza caravan

Asia to Gaza Caravan
After overcoming the initial obstacles in South Asia, where, first the Pakistani government denied visas to some Indians, then Indian government delayed permission to those of its citizens who had obtained visas from the Pakistani government to cross the Wagha border on foot, and the biggest disappointment in the form of denial by Pakistani government to permit the caravan to travel the land route through Balochistan, the peace activists assembled in Zahedan after flying into Iran via Tehran. This is where they would have arrived if they had followed the land route from Delhi through India and Pakistan. Read more

Two members of Iranian parliament were there to receive the caravan at Tehran airport when it arrived from India on 8th December at 5 am in the morning. This signalled a positive response to the caravan from the Iranian authorities. The caravan was flagged off from Rajghat in Delhi and finally hit the road in Iran on 9th December, 2010. It went from Zahedan to Kerman, Yazd, Esfahan, Qom before reaching Tehran on 12th December, covering a distance of 1400 kms.

Spontaneous welcome were accorded at airports, several places on roadside in every city and at educational institutions to the caravan. Men, women and children came out to warmly receive the caravan. In Qom, a seat of religious and educational learning, when the caravan reached past midnight it appeared as if the entire city had come out on streets to welcome the caravan. Students on motorcycles criss-crossing and assembled men, women and children made it difficult for the three buses carrying the caravan members to move on the street. The enthusiam of youth, especially, was only to be seen to be believed.

Ummate Waheda, a voluntary organization was the host of caravan in Iran. The young members of this organization, both men and women, were taking care to ensure that the caravan was hosted properly in each city where it stopped on the way. They had organized meetings, roadside receptions, stay and food for the caravan. Its members were travelling with the caravan inside Iran acting as guide and coordinating with local hosts. The etire credit for mobilization inside Iran can be given to them. The media which picked up the story of caravan slowly was highlighting it on the front pages of newspapers and prime time television talk shows by the time it reached Tehran.

It was a coincidence that the period of caravan in Iran coincided with the Moharram, remembrance of martyrdom of Imam Hussain for Shia Muslims, a community which is present in majority here. Since in Iran religion dominates politics and society, there was display of religious emotions associated with Moharram in all public programmes. The spirit of sacrifice of the caravan in approaching Gaza knowing fully well the dangers posed by a belligerant Israel, were immediately related to the martyrdom of the grandson of Prophet Mohammed. So, the caravan with a political message acquired the undertones of religious sentiments.

The University of Sistan and Balochistan in Zahedan, Shahid Bahonar University of Kemran, Esfahan University and Tehran University hosted meetings for the caravan. Mayor of Esfahan and Mayor of Tehran hosted reception for the caravan. Meetings were arranged with Imam Juma, representative of the Supreme religious leader of Iran in Esfahan, Ayatollah Makarim Shirazi and Ayatollah Jawadi Amuli in Qom for the caravan. On the way from Zahedan to Kerman Naroi tribal community hosted a breif reception for the caravan. Hence no segment of the Iranian society wanted to be left behind in welcoming the caravan. At Esfahan, in one of the meetings, a Jewish speaker also got a chance to speak. He condemned the Zionist regime of Israel.

The high point of the caravan was appearance of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad in the meeting at Tehran University. He said in his speech that the Palestinian issue is not a question of struggle between Jews and Arabs or Muslims alone but it was a question of human rights violations of an entire population and hence was a global issue on which everyone who is concerned about democracy and human rights must act. He extended warm welcome to the caravan and even hugged caravan members. His simple clothing and down to earth behaviour enthralled everybody. He still continues to live in the government apartment where he used to live as a civil engineering professor before he became the president. His speech was preceded by that of Ashim Roy, one of the Indian organizers of the caravan.

Later the caravan got an opportunity to visit the parliament of Iran, Majlis-e-Shura. Nine members of parliament present were each gifted an autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi. Feroze Mithiborwala, another Indian organizer who spoke on the occasion hightlighted the role of Iranian government along with Venezuala in challenging the might of imperialist forces. The Iranian parliament, in a magnanimous gesture donated 115,000,000 Tomans, equivalent to about seventy lakhs (7 million) of Indian rupees, as aid to Gaza to be sent along with the caravan. The money is to come from the Palestine Relief Fund created in Iran and the donations from salaries of members of parliament. Medical-surgical equipment will be bought with this money from Syria before the caravan enters Egypt. Incidentally, Egypt, who has given visas only to Indian members of the caravan has put a condition that it'll allow only 100 members of the aid caravan with every ambulance going as aid. Other nationalities which are represented in this caravan are Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Iran, Azerbaijan, Bahrain and Japan.

Meanwhile, an Israeli website run by a former intelligence official has described the caravan from India as a group of 50 terrorists consisting of left liberals, Islamic extremists and self-proclaimed human rights activists. In response, the Prime Minister of Palestine, Ismail Haniya, has welcomed the caravan. It remains to be seen whether the caravan will be allowed a safe passage to Gaza or would get entangled in a showdown.

(Dr Sandeep Pandey is a Ramon Magsaysay Awardee (2002) for emergent leadership, who is a part of the Asia to Gaza peace delegation. He is a member of National Presidium, People's Politics Front (PPF), heads the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) and did his PhD from University of California, Berkeley, USA. He taught at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur before devoting his life to strengthening people's movements in early 1990s. He can be contacted at: ashaashram@yahoo.com. Website: www.citizen-news.org )

Girl students add voice to UP youth policy advocacy campaign

Over 100 girl students of Husain Chutki Bhandar Inter College participated in a poster making and debate competition on the theme 'present condition of youth and their rights.' The competitors from classes 9 to 11, through the medium of brush, colors and words added their voice and support to the urgent need of a youth policy for Uttar Pradesh, which has a large population of youth. The movement for a legal youth policy for the state is being spear-headed through Uttar Pradesh Youth policy advocacy campaign. Read more


"Development of state is impossible without the development of youth," asserted Ms Varsha Verma, winner of the first prize in the poster competition titled.

Sheeba Khatoon who stood second in the same competition urged a re-look into the education system of the state.

Fatima Bano, who stood third in the competition, stressed the importance of girls’ education. She said education for girls was the surest way of ensuring the progress of any community and state. Stressing that the policy must address the different issues that confront the youth Fatima said that youth participation is important during the drafting of this policy. Through the poster and debate the students addressed the issues of corruption, gender discrimination, technical education, child marriage etc.    

It was pointed out by a student during the debate that in UP only 31.5 per cent girls and 48.6 per cent boys between the ages of 15 to 17 go to school. This and other issues must be addressed in the policy.

According to a recent survey 58,000 girls do not go to school in Lucknow, the state capital.

According to another survey 50 per cent of girls in the state were found anemic. 20.5 per cent women in the state were found suffering from sexually transmitted diseases (STD).

"Issues and concern of the youth of Uttar Pradesh must be addressed through this draft," said Anu, team leader of the advocacy campaign.

She said that through the campaign, sustained efforts have been made to ensure that there is a proper awareness for a policy for youth of Uttar Pradesh in every segment of society.

From November 22 to January 12, in 35 districts of the state an intensive drive has been launched to percolate this campaign to people from all walks of life.
    

Kulsum Mustafa

(The author is a senior journalist and also is the Secretary General of Media Nest)