Primary stakeholders in anti-HIV drive in Kerala

[Guest guest]

Primary stakeholders in anti-HIV drive

C. Maya

Phase III of the National AIDS Control Programme in State

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`Maithri' becomes the first Targeted Intervention project to be

directly run by the beneficiaries.

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Thiruvananthapuram: When 300-odd women from marginalised sections,

including sex workers, got together in the city a few weeks ago under

the banner of `Maithri,' it was an affirmation of their courage and

responsibility to be part of the mainstream and to fight the battle

against HIV.

For Soma, the NGO which organised the get-together, and Kerala State

AIDS Control Society (KSACS), this is yet another step forward in

their attempt to involve primary stakeholders in HIV prevention

programmes in the community.

The State is now in the process of implementing Phase III of the

National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), which emphasises the need for

a de-centralised approach for getting an effective response from HIV

prevention programmes. The effort is to take all such programmes to

the grassroots by directly involving high-risk and vulnerable groups

in the implementation process.

The KSACS' Targeted Intervention (TI) component of HIV control

programmes among high-risk groups like sex workers, intravenous drug

users and men having sex with men is being implemented through NGOs

in the State. The new strategy means that all TI programmes would be

handed over to the beneficiaries in a while, to be run directly by

them.

Currently, 36 such TI programmes are being run across the State, of

which six have been handed over to stakeholders themselves.

In Thiruvananthapuram, `Maithri' became the first TI project to be

directly run by the beneficiaries.

The project was being run for the past few years by Soma, an NGO,

among sex workers in the district. The project had several components

such as behaviour change and communication, condom project,

management of sexually transmitted infections and networking and

community mobilisation.

`Maithri' now has 126 registered members from the city, Attingal,

Nedumangad, Varkala, Kadhinamkulam, Vattiyoorkavu and Sreekaryam.

The group will mainly focus on the health and family issues faced by

sex workers, provide aid for the education of their children, arrange

legal assistance for women who require it, and to counsel members on

the importance of safe sex and condom use. Eventually, Maithri hopes

to run income-generation projects like soap-making or book-binding

for those who would like to come out of sex work.

" Generally, the sex workers here are very aware of the issues of HIV

and other sexually transmitted infections. Condom use is high among

this group and unlike before they have become quite adept at

negotiating safe sex practices with their clients, " says Prashant, a

volunteer with Soma.

It is not very easy for stakeholders to run the project all on their

own, because interpersonal relations among members and leadership

skills all become crucial issues. As Geetha, secretary of Maithri,

says, these women are always wary of society and are not very

confident of gaining acceptance in society.