Kerala: FBOs to be roped in to combat HIV/AIDS

[Guest guest]

FBOs to be roped in to combat HIV/AIDS

Jisha Surya

Express News Service, 28 Jan 2011

http://expressbuzz.com/states/kerala/fbos-to-be-roped-in-to-combat-hivaids/24300\

7.html

THIRUVANATHAPURAM: 'Let love be our religion in our fight against HIV and AIDS'.

It is not a statement made by any of the religious organisations, but, the

catchphrase for the latest campaign against HIV/AIDS planned by the Kerala State

AIDS Control Society (KSACS).

After successfully ensuring the participation of various sections of society in

its campaign against AIDS, the KSACS now plans to rope in faith-based

organisations (FBOs) in its HIV prevention activities.

As the first step, the KSACS has invited expression of interests (EoIs) from

interested FBOs. It is the influence of religion in people and the vital role

played by FBOs in the social context that influenced KSACS to go in for such a

novel idea. The campaign, obviously, will be based on principles of morality.

According to S Ajai Kumar, jointdirector of KSACS, the KSACS expects support

from various faith based organisations active in development sector in kerala.

" Religious institutions and FBOs have made tremendous impact on the State's

health and educational sector. People belonging to various faith dimensions are

deeply influenced by the teachings of their religion. " In fact, people are

inclined to be more influenced by religious leadership than the civil

governments, " he said. KSACS had organised meetings with religious heads and

FBOs a couple of years ago.

During the consultations, the need of the intervention from FBOs in controlling

and preventing HIV/AIDS was stressed. Based on this suggestion, KSACS has

decided to get FBOs involved in a systematic and regular basis. Kerala Catholic

Youth Movement (KCYM), the youth wing of KCBC, is already active in their

campaign against AIDS under the programme 'Sneha Douthyam'.

KSACS is planning to empanel interested FBOs to undertake programmes in all the

districts in the state on a regular basis. These FBOs will organise programmes

as per the guidelines of the KSACS.

[Guest guest]

Dear editor,

/message/12543

I would like to share some of my thoughts with this forum in the context of the

news from Kerala on ‘Involvement of Faith Based Organisations’ (FBOs) in HIV

prevention activities.

 

First of all I appreciate Mr.Ajay and the IEC wing of KSACS for frequently

coming up with innovative ideas to combat HIV.

 

In Kerala, there are three major different stages of HIV responses can be traced

out in the milieu of HIV prevention.

 

At the launch of prevention activities few Local Level Christian organizations

joined in partnership with KSACS. This was the first response and obviously very

radical.

Secondly some major structures/groups like World Vision, Thrissur Dioecious etc.

entered into prevention, care and support activities.

The third stage is that the entry of Christian youth organizations into the HIV

field with broader approach to address the vulnerable youth (Snehadouthyam of

KCYM, an example). These three stages are meaningful HIV responses from the

Christian community in Kerala.

(YMCA has a special wing in National Level to deal with the HIV issues).

 

The voluntary responses of religious organizations in Kerala happened from a

minority community only. This indication doesn’t mean that the other

communities are reluctant in ‘positive HIV response’ or they are waiting for

a special call from KSACS to give their EoI and to enter into a TOR.

 

The nature and vision of the organizational structures in the other communities

are different. They are more of Socio-religious and political organisms than

secular development practitioners, and without doubt concerning in the macro

politics.

 

These groups are highly powerful and able to influence their community members

decidedly. I must tell that this is the major gap as well as the major

opportunity for KSACS to generate a broader HIV response from the conscientious

leaders of the community (either religious, socio-religious or political).

 

My humble suggestion to KSACS is that little more evidence based planning will

be helpful to develop positive HIV responses from the people of Kerala

irrespective of religion and faith. (The term ‘FBO’ has its own political

connotations. Sometimes it won’t work with a highly politicized and

enlightened community like Kerala community).

 

 We need to spend more resources in research. If so we cannot blankly tell that

It is the influence of religion in people and the vital role played by FBOs in

the social context

 

Dr. ph Francis Munjattu

Team Leader TI, Technical Support Unit

Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society

Ph. 0944904585850

e-mail: <josephmunjattu@...>