Mysuru: Asha Kirana Charitable Trust, a non-profit organisation providing counselling services, care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS since 1997, celebrated its 20th anniversary by dedicating a state-of-the-art Gene Xpert equipment at an event organised at a convention centre this morning.

The Gene Xpert is a new test for tuberculosis (TB) that can diagnose if a person is infected and also if the TB bacterium is resistant to one of the common TB drugs – Rifampicin.

The equipment was contributed from CSR grants of Kluber Lubrication India, Mysuru with support from CEPHEID India, New Delhi and the machine costs about Rs. 27 lakh.

Earlier, the programme was inaugurated by dignitaries including Founder of Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement Dr.R. Balasubramaniam, Deputy Director Generals of National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) Dr. R.S. Gupta and Dr. K.S. Sachdeva.

President of AIDS Society of India Dr. I.S. Gilada, Patrons Suzan Baraz, Chair-Focus on AIDS, USA, Hossien Farmani, Co-Chair-Focus on AIDS, USA and Mehinder Sharma, Chairman of ANS Constructions, New Delhi were also present.

Speaking about the journey of Asha Kirana from 1997 to 2017, Dr. S.N. Mothi, Chairman of the Trust, said that Asha Kirana Charitable Trust commenced its journey as a one room organisation in 1997 and has now come a long way with the continued support of patrons, donors, networking doctors and various organisations.

He said that in 1997, he had an opportunity to invite late Dr. Suniti Solomon, former Professor in Microbiology from Madras Medical College and founder of YRG Centre for AIDS Care and Research, who had reported the first case of HIV/AIDS in India in 1987 and added that Dr. Sunita’s commitment and passion ignited a spark in him which resulted in seven friends coming together to form ‘Asha Kirana.’

Stating that Asha Kirana Hospital was built in 2004, which survived the threats of being labeled as an AIDS Hospital, Dr. Mothi said that the hospital now stands tall as a referral centre for people living with AIDS/HIV and added that the hospital is a testimony of collective commitment and response from the citizens of Mysuru.

Susan Baraz, one of the patrons, stated that her friend Hossein Farmani, also a patron, during his visit to Mysuru in 2002-03 met Dr. Mothi and was impressed with Asha Kirana’s commitment of working with people living with HIV/AIDS and he also saw the site where the Trust was planning to set up a Care and Support Centre, the first in the city.

She said that Hossein met her and asked her whether they could help in building an AIDS Hospital and she responded positively. She further said that they had organised a Fine Art photography auction for funding and the benefits were used to help build Asha Kirana Hospital.

She said that Focus on AIDS was proud to be associated with Asha Kirana, for their dedicated care and support.