HIV/AIDS Telephone Counselling Service at the University of Kerala

[Guest guest]

HIV/AIDS: Empowering the Youth. Telephone Counselling Service

University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala

Dr.B.Ekbal, Vice-Chancellor, University of Kerala

The Telephone Counselling Service of the University of Kerala has the

following objectives:

1. To provide information on Reproductive and Sexual Health of

adolescents and youth, HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections,

socio-psycho-familial problems, anxieties, suicide tendencies,

gender, sexuality and other related areas.

2. To facilitate educational Counselling and guidance to students and

parents.

3. To help sort out problems of youth and reduce their anxieties.

4. To recommend referrals in the case of the needy.

5. To offer solace to those who are utterly frustrated and miserable.

At an average the service replies 150 calls a day per month. Out of

these more than 50 percent are HIV risk calls. The nature of risk

arises from multiple sex partners, homosexuality among men (MSM),

child sex abuse and substance abuse. Very few calls came from AIDS

patients.

The Telephone Counselling Service organized under the Centre for

Adult Continuing Education and Education (CACEE) of the University

concentrates on the following types of service for HIV/AIDS:

1. Informative: Under this type of calls we give information on the

nature of contraction of HIV, the types of tests for HIV detection

including the Voluntary Counselling and Testing Centre (VCTC)

facility recently established in the Public Health Laboratory,

circumstances and risk factors leading to HIV infection.

2. Preventive: For this type of calls we explain the clients about

abstinence, safe sex, responsible sexual behaviour, and avoidance of

risk factors including Commercial Sex Workers and multiple sex

partners and avoidance of marriage in the case of unmarried HIV

infected clients.

3. Reassuring: This is a confidence building process for the clients

who are badly in need of Counselling, a sort of `dial before you

dig'. Clients are thwarted from unwanted suicide attempt and hope

that life is instilled in them. They are also given Counselling to

seek medical assistance and mingle in society without any possibility

for contracting HIV to others.

Impact of the Service

The service is found to be highly useful and society at large as

noted from the repeated calls that we get from clients. They take the

service in full confidence and confide in us their innermost sorrows

and anxieties. Some clients have demanded personal Counselling as

they were convinced that they could trust us. They seek our

assistance for referrals also for which we direct them to the members

of our panel of resource persons.

Special characteristics of the service in brief

Referral linkage with State AID Cell, State Mental Health Programme,

Legal Aids Cell, Department of Psychology, Medical College Hospital,

Department of Health Services and the Thiruvananthapuram Medical

College Women and Children's Hospital.

Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) for clients having risk taking

behaviour.

On-line and ongoing training to counselors.

Timely and accurate intervention of and networking with patients.

Documentation of all calls for case analysis.

Linked to Dt. PRAM (Physician Responsible for AIDS Management and

Deputy Nodal Officer, AIDS Management) and operate a direct hotline

with PRAM.

Immediate psychological management by Clinical Psychologist.

Counselling mainly aiming at broadening knowledge base, bringing in

attitudinal change and modifying behaviour.

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