Kerala: All Departments to be part of HIV prevention programme

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum

following is a write up published by the Hindu

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AIDS Control: All Departments to be Roped in

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Social Welfare Department draws up action plan

Tourism, LSG next in line

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Thiruvananthapuram: The Social Welfare Department has chalked out a plan of

action as part of its efforts to integrate HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support

activities into various programmes of the department.

`Mainstreaming HIV/AIDS' is a major initiative launched by the Kerala State AIDS

Control Society, seeking collaboration of various ministries, departments,

corporate houses and the people's representatives in HIV-related issues.

At a recent workshop organised to draw up the action plan for sensitising people

on HIV, Usha Titus, Secretary, Social Welfare and Project Director of KSACS,

said that the department would give priority to welfare issues of HIV positive

people when devising programmes.

The department has taken the first step by taking up an issue central to the

well-being of HIV-positive persons, that of nutrition. A scheme to give

nutrition supplements to HIV-positive women and children has been approved by

the government. The department has now designated a nodal person, in the rank of

Joint Director, to coordinate its HIV-related activities.

The draft plan prepared at the workshop has decided to incorporate a module on

HIV in all training programmes. To train the staff to be more sensitive to the

issues of HIV-positive persons, the department will also develop a core group of

trainers.

Another novel suggestion that the department has put forth is the

development of `HIV-positives-friendly' ICDS (Integrated Child Development

Scheme) villages, at least one in every district. It will involve educating each

ICDS village so that the community gets a clear understanding of HIV.

This approach could encourage people to adopt a non-discriminatory attitude to

HIV-positive persons.

KSACS is pursuing its HIV-mainstreaming efforts with other departments too. Next

in line for sensitisation are the Tourism and Local Self Government departments.

The effort was launched as the authorities recognised that the response to HIV

can be effective only if it goes beyond the health sector and connects to people

from various sectors. Every department is being asked to identify how best they

can integrate HIV prevention activities into their core area of work. The

message being given out is that HIV is everyone's business.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/19/stories/2009011959040300.htm

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Regards

Ajai

Kerala SACS

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