ARCHIVED MEDIA RELEASE
PA/6/2003 6 March 2003
Women's Day commemoration focus on women's health issues
To commemorate International Women's Day 2003, the Australian High Commissioner to India, Ms Penny Wensley AO, today hosted a luncheon meeting on the theme of Women's Health.
A large number of prominent Delhi women from all walks of life attended the meeting. The High Commissioner, who welcomed the guests, introduced the two speakers, Ms Nafisa Ali, Chairperson of Action India, who spoke on HIV/AIDS, and Dr Seema Sethi, Medical Director of Pathnet India Pvt Ltd, who gave a presentation on Cervical Cancer.
Ms Wensley spoke of the alarming rate at which the HIV/AIDS pandemic was spreading in India and of the need for women to take preventive care against cervical cancer. India has the highest incidence of cervical cancer in the world. The High Commissioner urged the influential women present at the function to commit themselves to making a difference.
Ms Nafisa Ali made a plea to all to help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and to come to the aid of those afflicted with the disease. Ms Ali is the founder of Action India, an organisation that works towards rehabilitating people living with HIV/AIDS.
Dr Seema Sethi, who specialises in early diagnosis, prevention and investigation into the causes of cervical cancer, said that the incidence of the disease could be dramatically reduced by a simple Pap smear test performed at regular intervals.
Dr Sethi said that Pathnet India offered Pap smear screening facilities, and urged those present to spread the message about the test to prevent cervical cancer incidence among women.
Pathnet India is a joint venture between India's Dr Reddy's Laboratories and Australia's Gribbles Pathology.
Through AUSAID, the Australian Government's development cooperation arm, Australia delivers bilateral aid to India in sectors such as public health, including HIV/AIDS prevention, water and environmental sanitation, and human resources development. AUSAID has plans for an A $ 19.2-million HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Project for Delhi and the North East States.
For further details, please contact Ms Clare Duffield, Second Secretary, Australian High Commission, New Delhi, on Tel: 2688 8223 Extn. 219