HIV AIDS & PREVENTION PROGRAMS , BY BR. SARATH THOMAS, sarathcthomas@gmail.com

PREVENTIONPROGRAMMES IN INDIA

BR. SARATH THOMAS CHAMALAYIL

INTRODUCTIONAccording to NACO ( NATIONAL AIDS CONTROL ORGANIZTION) Approximately 172,000 people died of AIDS related causes in 2009 in India.

The total number of people living with HIV in India is estimated at 2.4 million with uncertainty bounds of 1.93 to 3.04 million in 2009.The percent distribution of HIV infection by age is estimated at 4.4% among children below the age of 15 years, 82.4% among adults aged 15 to 49 years and the remaining 13.2% among people over 50 years of age.

The main factors which have contributed to India's large HIV-infected population are extensive labour migration and low literacy levels in certain rural areas resulting in lack of awareness and gender disparity

• . In India, after the first case of HIV was detected in Chennai in 1986, the virus spread rapidly across the nation in both urban and rural areas.

• The four high prevalence states of South India account for 57% of all HIV infections in the country.

• Andhra Pradesh = 500,000 cases• Maharashtra accounts for 420,000  • Karnataka accounts for 250,000 • Tamil Nadu accounts for 150,000• West Bengal, Gujarat, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh- 100,000 ( account

for 22% of HIV infections in India)• Punjab, Orissa, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh range from 50,000

to 100,000 and these states collectively account for 12% of HIV infections.

AIDS IN INDIA

HOW THIS VIRUSES AFFECTS OUR IMMINUE SYSTEM

PREVENTION PROGRAMMES

Kerala State AIDS Control Society1. Targeted Interventions (TI) for high risk behaviour

groups such as Sex Workers, Men having sex with men, Injecting Drug users, and other vulnerable populations like Migrants and Truck drivers.

2. Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) Control Programme for counselling, and treatment of sexually transmitted infections. Condom promotion programme to increase the correct and consistent usage of condoms among the population by ensuring its availability and affordability in Kerala.

3. Information, Education and Communication (IEC) programme : intended to create awareness through prevention messages, a non stigmatizing environment, promote demand generation of services and increase service uptake, mainstreaming activities through various modes of campaigns and training and increase voluntary blood donation

4. Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres (ICTC) : cater to all types of clients under one roof and provide cross referrals and linkages to treatment and care services. In more than 100 centres spread across the state, anyone exposed to the risk of HIV infection can get counselled and tested in a confidential and supportive environment.

5. Prevention of Parent to Child Transmission (PPTCT) programme. provides treatment of HIV positive expecting mothers. Through a series of measures including provision of antiretroviral drugs to the mother and child, transmission of the infection to their children are greatly reduced.

6. Blood Safety program: Provision of adequate quantities of safe blood, when and where needed, is an important strategy for reducing transfusion associated HIV infection.

The Blood Safety Program ensures safety of blood donations, transfused blood and blood components by improving quality control practices in blood banks and providing blood safety training to personnel

7. Civil Society Mainstreaming: Mainstreaming aims to bring the issues of HIV/AIDS to the mainstream of the society by incorporating them into activities of other governmental departments and private sector companies.

National AIDS Control Program( NAPC)

• 1985 Govt. of India constituted a taskforce to study the problem of HIV/AIDS as related to India

• Phase-I (1992 - 1999) A comprehensive HIV/AIDS Control Project Phase with an outlay of 222.6 crores with the assistance of World Bank & WHO.

• NAPC was implemented across the country with objective to slow the spread of HIV to reduce future morbidity, mortality, and the impact of AIDS by initiating a major effort in the prevention of HIV transmission.

• Phase-II (1999 - 2006) was aimed at reducing spread of HIV infection in India and strengthen India's capacity to respond to HIV epidemic on long term basis

• Phase-III (2007-2012) places the highest priority on preventive efforts while, at the same time, seeks to integrate prevention with care, support and treatment.

IMPORTANT PREVENTION PROGRAMS OF NAPC AND NACO

• STD control program• The Prevention of Parent to Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS (PPTCT) • Voluntary Counselling and Testing Centres (VCTC)• Universal precautions and Post exposure prophylaxis• Blood safety• ‘Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre’ (ICTC) to provide services to all clients

under one roof• Improved access to quality condoms• Focused efforts on women, children and Young people • Expanding HIV/AIDS response at workplace• Focused efforts on migrants, mobile populations and in cross border areas• Care, support and treatment

One Test. Two Lives. Prenatal HIV Screening Campaign (CDC) focuses on ensuring that all women are tested for HIV early in their pregnancy and provides quick access to a variety of resources for providers and materials for their patients to help encourage universal voluntary prenatal testing for HIV.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF HIV PREVENTION

Biomedical HIV prevention interventions

• Male circumcision (MC)

• Prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT)

• Condoms (Male and Female)

• Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI)

• HIV vaccine

2. Social and behavioural preventioninterventions• Abstinence-only and ABC interventions• Voluntary Counselling & Testing (VCT)• Stepping Stones counselling intervention

3. Structural HIV prevention interventions – (stigma

reduction, gender equality)

4. Legal and policy interventions

let our promises guide us…….

CONCLUSIONAs being social workers we may have the chance to work with hiv/aids patients…so there we need to show a compassion , avoid misconceptions and to provide a hope that arises from our unconditional positive regards ….because tomorrow we the social workers must be the shock absorbers of the society..

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• www.infofacts.in• www.ksacs.in• www.nacoonline.• www.nihfw.org• www. wikipedia.org• www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

THANK YOU