UNAIDS Conference

Sonal informed me on our way to the UNAIDS conference that my report on India’s healthcare status was sent to both Boston and Australia for review. The report was in response to recent funding awarded by the Australian High Commission. Yay!

At the UNAIDS conference, I took meeting minutes and noted significant table discussion comments. I sat with Dr. Jean Louis Lamboray, Constellation, Thailand, Joe from Nagaland, India, and the UNAIDS country director, Denis Broun. It was definitely a privileged to brainstorm self assessment within the offices they worked. Internship with UNAIDS next year? Maybe? Definite possibility and definite interest. The levels of self-assessment included

Level 1: We are aware

Level 2: We react on it

Level 3: We act

Level 4: Continuous action, systematizing what we do

Level 5: The practice is part of our life-style

The HIV/AIDS criteria to assess levels included: acknowledgement and recognition, inclusion, linking care and prevention, access to treatment, identify and address vulnerability

Within the UNAIDS office, Denis mentioned his office frequently self-assesses. At certain levels his own UNAIDS office may be at a 3. Other organizations realized that some criteria, such as linking health care and awareness, the organizations may fall at a 2.

The message was that it is possible to reach Level 5s. But, I’ve been thinking whether it is possible to achieve Level 5 of all HIV/AIDS criteria for an organization. The Level 5 visions differ between organizations. For example, to an education/awareness NGO, Level 5 health criteria may be providing solely primary health or Level 5 education/awareness to a health providing NGO may be to address HIV transmittance only. There is obvious remove to include more in Level 5 and to improve in the criteria, but an organization can do so much. Eventually, if an organization reaches Level 5, the criteria for Level 5 becomes the baseline, it is expected, and a new Level 5 and vision can now be defined. Level 5 is not about gawking at, hovering about, wavering at, sitting on top of Level 5; it is about progress, redefining.