Deep Breath

We have to do it sooner or later.

Yesterday we sent an email to the government HIV programme.

In the email we asked the concerned official to activate our Integrated Testing and Counselling Centre. We have been doing HIV testing and counselling at a small scale for about a year and a half now. What we want now is to step up to the plate and be one of the recognised HIV testing and counselling centres - partners with the public health system in our city - and beyond.

In the same email we asked for something bigger.

We asked the government to make us a link ART centre. This means that we at Jeevan Sahara Kendra would be getting the Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) Medications from the government and would directly supervise their treatment. Currently about 110 of our 150 odd HIV positive friends are getting their treatment free from the government ART centre in Thane. They and 3500 other people. The government is very interested in getting other partners involved in providing this level of service. We assume that our patients would be immediately transferred over to us for their HIV medications (which the vast majority would very much appreciate). We also assume that we would be asked to look after at least 150 more cases.

All of this seems like foolishness at times when we see our own thread-bareness. When we see staff squabble. When we don't see patients come. On rainy days. When we look at our slender staffing resources at this time. Should we even be venturing further when we see so many areas where we need to still put our ship into shape?

One thing is certain. Time waits for no man.

If this is the time for us to move forward into becoming a partner with the government in ART care - then we must strike now.

We do so with prayer and hope that God will take us forward. The image of the priests carrying the ark and stepping into the Jordan river comes to mind.

And the scary thing is that this is not even the biggest step we may be taking - just around the corner is our shift to the current Lok Hospital building - and a Community Care Centre. The near and medium term future holds some amazing challenges.

Carpe Diem!

Thanks for being along with us on this journey!