Kerala: AIDS control society to take HIV prevention to grassroots-level

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AIDS control society to take HIV prevention to grassroots-level

Staff Reporter,Thursday, Nov 30, 2006

Campaign to make Karakulam an HIV stigma-free panchayat

Structured programmes planned for reducing stigma

Voluntary counselling and testing centres to be more people-

friendly

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala State AIDS Control Society (KSACS) is

launching two major initiatives on December 1, World AIDS Day, as

part of its efforts to check the spread of HIV infection and to

create more awareness on the infection among the general population.

The focus is on two major policy areas. This is envisaged under Phase

III of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), which is slated to

be launched soon. Taking HIV prevention and intervention programmes

to the grassroots-level and organising structured programmes for

reducing stigma and discrimination of HIV infection will be the

thrust areas for KSACS from now.

Karakulam grama panchayat in the district will become the first of

the local bodies to take up these initiatives. The campaign for

making Karakulam an HIV stigma-free panchayat, by educating the

people about the disease and by changing the general perception about

an HIV-infected person, will be launched on December 1.

NACP III is designed to be more de-centralised, with district-level

programmes to strengthen HIV prevention, control and care activities.

The third phase will focus on equipping district-level health care

system to meet the challenges posed by HIV infection.

Studies done by KSACS have pointed to the fact that interpersonal

communication is the most effective method for conveying messages

about HIV in a convincing manner. Health messages passed on in a

community through one-to-one communication works better because every

individual is being addressed directly.

KSACS has already started in a tentative manner, a project, `Family

Health through Kudumbasree,' wherein Kudumbasree workers give out

health information through house visits and also ensure its uptake.

The network of treatment centres, which specifically addresses issues

related to HIV infection, has already been set up in every district

by KSACS.

The Voluntary Counselling and Testing Centres have been strengthened

to function as information, education and counselling centres and

have been re-named as `Jyothis.' `Sneha' centres are antenatal

clinics where every pregnant woman would be encouraged to test

herself for HIV and to seek continued care. `Pulari' centres are the

treatment clinics for sexually transmitted diseases. `Ushus' centres

are the antiretroviral drug therapy centres set up in five Medical

Colleges in the State. `Prathyasha' are drop-in-centres for those who

are already HIV-infected.

http://www.hindu.com/2006/11/30/stories/2006113018250300.htm

____________

" Ajai Kumar, Kerala SACS "

e-mail: <ajai.ksacs@...>