3 Club
"Minnie" project to help Rotary in Bangalore, India
Report by Frank
Taylor, June 2001
Three Clubs are involved - Hatfield,
Brookmans Park and St Albans Priory
Visit of Rotary Scholar:
As things sometimes do in Rotary, it all happened pretty quickly through DG
Derek Adams. Derek had received a call from his opposite number in
Bangalore, India, in District 3190. Rotary were offering a travel and study
scholarship to help the Rotary TTK Blood Bank to learn and use the latest
techniques to detect the HIV Virus in blood. India is currently
experiencing an HIV epidemic. This Scholarship was only available provided
the scholar stayed with Rotary families for the three weeks of course.
Could the clubs near the study centre at NIBSC in South Mimms do this?
Background:
Current tests for HIV contamination of blood, destined for transfusion, are
performed by looking for HIV antibodies in the
blood. Sadly the
human body takes 10 to 12 weeks to develop antibodies to the infection and
so if blood is taken from a donor who has been
infected within the last three
months, it could be approved for use and yet still transmit the disease.
Most Western countries use a DNA/RNA technique, which avoids this problem.
NIBSC is a world-recognised establishment. It is engaged in research and
development of biological assays and the provision of biological standards.
How are we helping?
Dr. John A. Saldanha has agreed to train Dr. Mrs. Mrinalini Chathurvedi in
this new technique. Rotarians in the USA and India through a Matching Grant
have provided the modern equipment needed to make this testing possible.
The clubs in Hatfield, Brookmans Park and St Albans Priory quickly offered
hosting and transport to the scholar Dr.Mrinalini Chathurvedi or Minnie, as
she likes to be known.
Minnie is a pathologist and is married with two
children at home. She was at one time an air force
doctor with a front line fighter
squadron. She has even flown in a MiG-29! Her husband, another
doctor, is an air force officer. She is employed by
the Rotary TTK Blood Bank and will be going
back to pass on her knowledge to Blood Bank employees
throughout India. Through direct Rotary action we will have
helped to slow down the spread of this dreadful
disease. The World Health Organisation
has nominated this Blood Bank as a centre of excellence
to spread these new techniques more widely in Asia.
Minnie arrived on June 3rd 2001 and stays with us in District 1260 for
three weeks. Every working day a Rotarian has transported her to and from
NIBSC. It has been a delight to host Minnie on this her first trip
outside
India. Without question this is a very worthwhile project and one with
which this District and Rotary in general can be very proud.
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