What is happening to HIV response in Kerala?

[Guest guest]

What is happening to HIV response in Kerala?

Dear FORUM,

Kerala has made a great mark in HIV / AIDS awareness and support campaign along

with the allied groups. The problem addressed was a socio medical challenge, and

so it was always had to be seen through different dimensions and approaches.

State AIDS Control Society, Monitoring agencies (PSU, SMA) and other related

agencies along with the participation of NGOs, community members and stake

holders worked towards success. Achievements' and result would have been higher

if had take much care of been innovative than adoptive methods and strategies.

The Kerala SACS have done a numerous serious programmes like Targeted

Intervention, Medical Interventions, Training, Education and Awareness

programmes to combat HIV/AIDS.

Yet Focused community based awareness programmes are not a success; in result

still we lack proper awareness and behaviour change.

A good blend of all section of authorities, KSACS ,community ,NGO and

politicians was observed this time still the results of a campaign of the Kerala

State AIDS Control Society and State administration to readmit five HIV-positive

children removed from their school at Pampady, near here, appears to have failed

to make any headway. It's not the first case happening in the state or different

parts of country.

It's a shame to some people of state with this level of awareness, one of the

districts where highest educated professional people live especially in area of

medical and Para Medical professionals come from.

Although model programme can be adopted on the success and lesson learnt from

different parts of world, but much flexibility and focus has to be ensured in

developing the Sustainability schemes which should be matching to geographical,

social, cultural, occupational, health and behavioral pattern and practice of

people.

The strategy shift based on the CBO concept, Targeted Intervention which SACS

implemented in all successes, had its own limitations in adopting it in Kerala

scenario.

It seemed to be worked out in few groups and small areas, not into larger

community, which had adverse effect and impact in the success of the sustainable

programme and have, ruin the very foundation.

The Targeted Intervention programme is not purely redesigned on the basis of

lesson learned but model sketched by the facilitators.

The delays in aid system, lack of specialized training had adverse effecting the

programme, it was not a model purely designed in or for the Kerala set up; as we

know its like " many world class successful vehicles were failure in Indian

roads " .

Successful beginning of special units and major innovation was seen when changes

were made in these campaigns like changes of names of Sex Education Programme to

Family Life Education Programme, VCTC to be known as JOYTHIS, USHAS for the

antiretroval drug therapy, PULARY center for STI center, PARTHASARTHY drop in

center for HIV effected, SNEHA, the center for antenatal for pregnant women to

make the programmes more people friendly and for greater success.

The process from LEARNING to UNLEARNING or NEW LEARNING and REALEARNING takes

its own time and twist and turns. If this process really not change as names

with the concept and sprit of quality of service or else it would be like old

wine in new bottle.

We have to accept the fact it's a social movement in dealing with the changes in

practices, behavior pattern. Any social change can be brought about effectively

only by understanding the underlying social processes. It is to be understood

that health or a health problem is a socially constructed phenomenon. Attempts

to deal with these issues require an active involvement and participation from

people working in different fields in social development.

Kerala has a highest number of mobility in and out side state and country and

still a constructive strategy is not developed till now to address this

challenge of group.

This itself shows the need for attitude and behavior change required in the

campaign pattern but many time we focus more on quantitative than qualitative

data for programmes.

It has always been a challenge for social development professionals to develop

the effective tools (menace of verification, indicators, cost effectiveness'

ECT) to advocate with facts and figures alone with different agencies, officials

including funding organization.

It's high time to realize that qualitative data provides the detailed

information from people's perspective and quantitative data can be used to

substantiate these facts. We have to develop programmes on it keeping the local

to universal influencing part of problem rather than to the limiting the

indicators to accountability part alone.

World recognises the role of voluntary organization in working together for

humanity and all living and non living beings, even fighting alone for the

cause. Kerala model development, which shows a high standard of living even with

low per capita income, is a model set for the world.

It's also important to note that Kerala is a state that practiced

decentralization and people's participation to a great extent of success in all

social development programmes and government played a vital role in coordinating

and supporting the groups and facilitating, and maintaining good sprits for

enlightenment and cooperation.

Partners Forum Kerala (PFK) was a professional networking body of development

organisations in India formed with a motto of " Growing through sharing " . I was

fortunate to be part of PFK forum and nominated body, it was a great challenge

to bring this number of NGOs to one floor to share and explore the strength of

networking, it was a great success as such, but this strength was solely because

of the participation of the NGOs and its members.

Many individuals from funding and facilitating agency who had supported in the

true sprit of networking but larger attempts were on to dilute the organisation

by interfering into the individuals, group and systems.

As a fact all members organization have been together to fight for the target

groups and society members, some exceptions people who compromised with the

sprit of platforms for getting into good books of officials. It's difficult for

me to understand that many officials, who have great experience with this

movements and NGOs, were and are office bearers of these facilitating and

funding units they also turned a failure in playing a mentoring avoiding

developing circumstances and the dissolving of forum.

It is experienced that PFK was exposed nation wide and world wide as a brand by

KSACS, SMA, and PSU and received claps.

I believe that it was done with out giving much value or recognition for the

partnership principles practiced in Kerala and at National level as it

progressed.

I truly appreciate the office bearers and members for taking the bold step of

dissolving PFK by not compromising with the true strength and spirit of NGOs

under the developed circumstances’.

I strongly believe it's a great shame to all in the state to have no drive under

the banner of PFK.

I still feel the strength of networking is to be upholded and this developed

platform of cooperation, sharing should continue as it is continued even if the

organization is dissolved.

I feel very sad coming years the strength of NGO will not be seen under the

banner of PFK. Let's learn and relearn and react for the developments, But I

believe & wish power of peoples group and organizations, officials and

professionals will be work together in due course of time in development of

Kerala in socio medical development as in past……..

Let’s unite together to fight against AIDS

PRASREEN - KUNNAMPALLI

Kuwait

E-MAIL: <Pknbiju@...>