Kerala: HIV Intervention among injecting drug users of Calicut City

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

This is to introduce you CSRD's HIV Intervention program among drug users of

Calicut. (A project aided by Kerala State AIDS Control Society and State

Management Agency)

Sharing of injecting drug use paraphernalia has been identified as a major route

of HIV transmission in many North Eastern States of India. Anecdotal evidence

indicates that injecting drugs use and sharing of injecting drug use equipment

also has been practiced by drug users in certain pockets of Calicut City. Deaths

due to drug over dose has been reported in the city. There is an urgent need to

develop data and experience on addressing HIV related risk behaviours of drug

abusers in Calicut. This project proposes to carry out a comprehensive needs

assessment and intervention among the drug users in this city.

B. Objectives:

1.To identify the extent and nature of drug use in Calicut

2. To identify the risk profile of drug users in Calicut

3.To identify avenues for intervention to reduce HIV vulnerability among the

drug users in Calicut.

4. To identify the key stake holders for reducing drug use related HIV

vulnerability in Calicut

5. To develop an effective intervention strategy to reduce HIV vulnerability

among drug users in Calicut.

Implementing organisation: Centre for Social Research and Development (CSRD) has

been working with sex workers in Calicut for the last 8 years. CSRD is the

first NGO began working with the sex workers in Kerala. For the last five

years it has been implementing the targeted intervention program for sexual

health among the sex workers in Calicut. It has developed strong linkages with

the coastal communities in Calicut and is working in 30 low-income pockets.

Over the years CSRD has been providing training and other support services to

hundreds of community groups like ICDS, youth clubs, self help groups etc in

Calicut city.

For the last five years, CSRD is running an office in 'Bangladesh Colony',

which is considered to be the epicenter of drug use in Calicut city. Many of the

sex workers associated with CSRD are drug users. In the past CSRD has referred

many people to de-addiction too. Through many years of work with sex workers

CSRD could establish good rapport with police department of Calicut. CSRD has

given training to over 500 police personnel of Calicut on HIV/AIDS, law and

human rights.

We hope to share the findings of the study soon with the members of this FORUM.

Tito . MSW. LLB

CENTRE FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (CSRD), CALICUT.

IDU PSH PROJECT

E-mail: titothomas@...