Kerala Role Model for TI Implementation- NACO

[Guest guest]

Pat for Kerala efforts

G Rajiv | ENS

23 Sep 2008 03:58:00 AM IST

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The National AIDS Control Orgnaisation (NACO) has

selected Kerala as the role model in implementing the AIDS awareness

programme for the targeted intervention like female sex workers (FSW), male

having sex with males (MSM) and injecting drug users (IDU).

The project for targeted interventions is implemented by Kerala State

AIDS Control Society.

The programme is implemented with the help of nongovernmental

organisations. It has five components namely behaviour change

communication, condom programming, sexually-transmitted infection care and

enabling environmental and community mobilisation.

Based on the assessment performed in these programmes, NACO has ranked Kerala as

the top state followed by West Bengal, Mumbai, New Delhi, Andhra Pradesh,

Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh.

These states have been selected as the best performing states.

Ten states have been included in the fast coming up states in AIDS

control programmes which include Karnataka and Maharashtra. The

remaining states are listed in the poor performing states which

include Tamil Nadu.

Kerala is believed to have a population of about 30,000 male

homosexuals. Programmes to spread awareness about the need for safe

sex among them was the focus since the infection rate was high. After

it was found that male homosexuals constituted a major high risk group for HIV

infection in the State, the anti-AIDS campaign was focused on male homosexuals.

The method for achieving this goal was to facilitate the emergence of

leaders from among the men having sex with men community so that they

could be entrusted with the responsibility of spreading awareness

about the dangers of having multiple sex partners and unprotected sex.

A similar strategy that was tried among female sex workers also had

started showing positive results and the campaign is being led by sex

workers themselves.

Already KSACS has launched 36 Suraksha projects for the marginalised

population.

--

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?artid=cXAZkeHnSJM= & Title=Pat+for+K\

erala+efforts & SectionID=lMx/b5mt1kU= & MainSectionID=wIcBMLGbUJI= & SectionName=X7s7\

i|xOZ5Y= & SEO=<http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?artid=cXAZkeHnSJM= & T\

itle=Pat+for+Kerala+efforts & SectionID=lMx/b5mt1kU= & MainSectionID=wIcBMLGbUJI= & Se\

ctionName=X7s7i%7CxOZ5Y= & SEO=>

--

S.Ajai Kumar

Joint Director IEC

Kerala SACS

Red Cross Road

Thiruvananthapuram - 35

Kerala, India

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