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HIV Advisors Attend Seminar at BaanGerda
Posted by Ginge on 30th November 2007
It was with an air of apprehension that I prepared a slide show last week describing some of our experiences setting up Baan Gerda. Our paediatrician Dr Jintanat had suggested that BaanGerda might be an interesting case-study for visitors from all over Asia working with an organisation called PLAN Asia. PLAN is reviewing its strategy with regards HIV and in so doing set up a 5 day workshop. The goal was to strengthen the HIV response in the region, especially among children and young people; ultimately they wanted to set up a regional strategy.
BaanGerda was the first port of call in their workshop. I was worried, partly because I have never had to do a talk to 25 strangers before and couldn’t believe that I knew anything that they would be interested in. I was also concerned because the last seminar at BaanGerda – at which I was not present – ended in such a strong conflict of opinions, that it was important this one succeeded and so it did. Even Karl agrees.
The participants came from a range of backgrounds: economists, programme managers, doctors, other health personnel and so on from all over South and South East Asia. Their range of knowledge was broad, but what united them was their interest in our experiences with treating HIV children here in Thailand.
I gave a half hour talk, with slides, talking about the challenges we have faced, the solutions we have sought and the lessons we have learned at Baan Gerda from a social and medical viewpoint. Dr Jintanat followed with an excellent presentation of the clinical issues of paediatric HIV treatment, which I hope she will share here too. Much to our relief, no one fell asleep and instead, we had a long and animated discussion period. We realised that not only have we knowledge to share, but that there are people in a position of creating change who want to hear it. We look forward to seeing the final results of PLAN’s workshop soon.
View the slideshow presentation
View the participant’s feedback
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