Programs
Community and Home Based Care
Nireekshana ACET doctors and volunteers work at medical clinics/camps held monthly in selected slums of Hyderabad. These one-day clinics are staffed in partnership with other local NGOs. This enables the local residents access to the needed free treatment of OI’s. Nutritional support for the women are also part of this outreach.
Teams of community counselors provide ‘Home Based Care’ to people infected and affected with AIDS in the community. Currently we care for 100 families in the Home Based Care Program. Additionally five community counselors provide clinic & home based care to over 300 TB, TB/HIV co-infected patients and to children with this condition. This is termed as ‘Holistic TB Interventions project’ is an integral part of Nireekshana.
AIDS Awareness & Training
Nireekshana also conducts informal HIV/AIDS awareness activities in communities, schools, colleges, churches and community organizations in and around Hyderabad. Different tools (such as role plays, songs, seminars/lectures, information pamphlets) are used as appropriate to reach audience, to inform people on the ways that HIV can and cannot be contracted, to promote prevention by ‘Abstinence’; ‘Being Faithful’ ; use of ‘Condom’ (ABC approach) and to foster a more ‘Compassionate’ response to people suffering from HIV/AIDS. In the last 3 years, 120 such programs were conducted reaching over 5000 individuals.
Nireekshana Doctors are present at formal training workshops on HIV/AIDS for health and development professionals and provide consulting services to other NGOs around India and overseas.
Women’s Empowerment & Rehabilitation
The ‘Mallika Sewing Project’ of Nireekshana aims at empowering & rehabilitating widows or affected by HIV/AIDS. Women are taught basic & advanced modules on sewing, embroidery and handicraft. Women who have completed two of these modules are able to create / produce crafts & material that generates income. The programme has also incorporated a counseling & character building component that enhances the value, self worth and significance of these women.
Research & Development
The infectious Disease Research Laboratory of Nireekshana ACET is recognized as a center for PhD in Biotechnology by Nagarjuna University and also by the Department of Scientific and Industrial research (DSIR), Government of India. Dr. Sujai and Dr. Lavanya presently supervise the research of 5 Research Scholars. Research and training on laboratory aspects is facilitated here.
One of the areas of laboratory research is TB/HIV co infection. We have initiated a research project on the role of INF-?, TNF-a and their single nucleotide polymorphisms in TB/HIV co infections. The other areas of research are neuropathy in HIV/AIDS & leprosy, genetic studies on HIV discordance & ART drug resistance