Intervention among the Sex Workers of Agra City, UP

[Guest guest]

" Improving Reproductive Health Status and reducing HIV/STD

Transmission Among Slum Women and Sex Workers of Agra City, Uttar

Pradesh "

Although, district Agra of Uttar Pradesh State is primarily an urban

area, it has about 200 slums having a population of about 500,000.

The reproductive health status of women living in these slums is

very poor.

A coverage evaluation of maternal care, organized by UNICEF in 1998-

99 reported low achievement of various maternal care indicators.

Coverage of Tetanus Toxoid Injection among antenatal mothers was

reported to be 37.5%, consumption of Iron Foliate tablets as 5.4%.

About 58% of total deliveries are conducted at home out of which,

38% are conducted by untrained persons {Untrained traditional birth

attendants (TBAs) and family members}, post natal care was also very

poor. The average age at marriage of women was found to be as low as

16.8 years.

In another study conducted jointly by WHO-NACO (National AIDS

Control Organization, Government of India) and S.N. Medical College,

Agra, a point prevalence of about 35.2% of RTIs (Reproductive Tract

Infections) / STDs (Sexually Transmitted Disease) among women of

reproductive age group was observed. This study on health seeking

behavior of women with STDs revealed that out of those affected, 52%

didn't seek any medical advice as they thought of it to be normal

phenomena during reproductive age. Only 5% of the women accepted

that the illness was sexually transmitted. However, most of them

were very keen to learn about the prevention of such infections and

appropriate treatment facilities.

In these studies the overall health status of the population was

found to be discouraging with poor access and lack of utilization of

health care services. People did not have proper knowledge about

Reproductive Health including importance of antenatal care, hygienic

practices during pregnancy, childbirth and post natal care,

importance of small family and ways of birth control, Planned

Parenthood, RTI / STD or HIV/AIDS.

The accessibility and availability of reproductive health services

in these slums is poor due to weak service delivery system. There is

no organized health care delivery system in the urban slums leading

to a lot of areas being left unattended. Also, out reach services

are neglected. Moreover, the population living in the slums is very

heterogeneous, thus making interventions more difficult.

In view of the prevailing health situation in these slums, this

project has been designed to address the reproductive health related

morbidity and mortality among women of reproductive age group. As a

result of the efforts to improve reproductive health status of women

and health services, children will be automatically benefited

through improved post-natal care (including newborn care) at family

level, immunisation coverage will increase and quality out reach

health services will be available. The reduction in prevalence of

RTIs/STDs will not only help in reducing HIV transmission but also

in increased acceptance and retention of Copper T (Intra Uterine

Contraceptive Device), the only long term spacing method available

in the programme.

http://careusa.org/careswork/projects/ind138.asp