ActionAid in Action for HIV prevention in Rural Odisha

[Guest guest]

ActionAid is an international anti-poverty agency working in over 40 countries,

taking sides with poor people to end poverty and injustice together.

ActionAid India Society has been implementing the Link Workers Scheme (LWS) in

1595 villages of 295 Gram Panchayats of six districts Odisha viz; Angul,

Balasore, Bhadrak, Balangir, Ganjam and Khurda in close coordination with Odisha

State AIDS Control Society (OSACS), supported by National AIDS Control

Organisation and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), India since

October 2008.

The major objective of the project is to build a community-centered model with

an outreach strategy to address the HIV prevention, care, support and treatment

requirements in collaboration with NGOs, CBOs, Positive Netowrks, District

Adminstration and Government Departments in 6 highly vulnerable districts of

Odisha.

ActionAid has been implementing the project with special focus on HIV & AIDS,

Human Rights and Women's Rights by using participatory tools like Stepping Stone

(SS), Socieities Tackling AIDS through Rights (STAR), Participatory Rural

Appraisal (PRA) etc. by maintaining gender equality in Human Resource (male

female ratio-50:50) and adhering Greater Involvement of Persons Living with

HIV/AIDS (GIPA) principle in the project.

As on October 2010, the project has covered 1722230 populations, 5318 Female Sex

Workers, 2746 MSMs, 182 Injecting Drug Users, 2,14,245 Vulnerable

Population,3,336 PLHIVs, 1,131 Orphan and Vulnerable Children with Sexully

Transmitted Infection (STIs), Reproductive Tract Infections (RTI), HIV & AIDS

Preventive, Curative and Treatment services through different innovative

programmes like Mid Media Programmes, Community Programmes, One-to-One and

One-to-Group Counselling, Peer Group Meetings and special events.

A cadre of 16,974 Volunteers created and 12409 volunteers trained on HIV & AIDS,

RTIs / STIs, related treatment and service facilities, Government programmes and

schemes.

Ganjam is the highest HIV prevalent district of Odisha. Dr. Ratnakara Behera,

Chief District Medical Officer, Ganjam District says " The cause of high

prevalence of HIV infection in Ganjam is migration .Link workers are playing a

crucial role in identifying the people with high risk behaviours referring them

to the nearby ICTCs for counselling and testing. "

Dr. B.P. Mohapatro, District Nucleolus Officer,Ganjam District views " Link

worker scheme is being implemented in 4 blocks in Ganjam.

The link workers are doing excellent work 40 G.Ps. They are regularly in contact

with the PLHIV in their area. In spite of different problem in the field link

workers working efficiently halt and reverse the epidemic in the district. Let

us join our hands to make Ganjam HIV free. "

Sarpanch of Banthapalli Gram Panchayat says " I have been part of the Link Worker

Scheme since last one year through meetings, Workshops, training, awareness

programme etc. The awareness level on HIV/AIDS is increasing among the village

level. The Link workers are doing a very good job in Panchayat and it should be

introduced in other G.Ps also. I thankful to Action aid team for their

services. "

" A positive pregnant lady wasn't not ready to go to MKCG medical for her

delivery, but after being counselled by Rita didi Link Worker, she agreed and

went for Institutional delivery and took Navirapin treatment. Now she and her

kid are healthy and happy. The credit goes to Rita " . Asha of Bakilikana Village

says.

ActionAid in Partnership with OSACS, Development Organisations, Positive

Networks etc. hosted the state level rally on the occasion of World AIDS Day at

Bhubaneswar. Mr. Prasanna Acharya, Honourable Health Minister and Smt. Anu Garg,

Commissioner-cum-Secretary along with OSACS senior officials inaugurated the

state rally consisting of the college students, public and development

organisation staff.

The World AIDS Day programme had been facilitated by ActionAid Link Worker

Scheme Project in 6 districts in partnership with DAPCU, NGOs and Positive

Networks on the theme " Universal Access and Human Rights " . Along with this Block

level and Gram Panchayat level Programmes had been organised with the Leadership

of Link Workers.

" HIV is a development and human rights issue. We cannot merely address the issue

by strengthening the health system alone. Universal Access to prevention, care,

treatment and support systems can only be possible by addressing the human

rights issues of PLHIVs through multi-sectoral response and collaborations-says

Sashikanta Malik, Team Leader, HIV initiative, ActionAid Odisha on the occasion

of World AIDS Day.

Sashikanta Malik

Team Leader, HIV Initiative

ActionAid Odisha.

e-mail: <Shashikanta.Mallick@...>