ISHA'S CONTRIBUTIONS: TOWARDS HIV-AIDS PREVENTION,
CONTROL, MANAGEMENT AND COUNSELLING TECHNIQUES

    ISHA has made major contributions in the area of HIV-AIDS awareness, prevention and control, since 1991, when it became apparent that HIV was emerging as a serious public health problem in India.

A.  TRAINING OF TRAINERS & COUNSELLORS

a.    ISHA has organized so far fourteen National Workshops on "Action Plans for HIV-AIDS Control". In addition, we have conducted Seven programmes for North Eastern State Governments in the critically affected North Eastern States(Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, and Tripura),on behalf of the Government of India, and in collaboration with the State Governments. In each Programme, representatives from the voluntary organizations, and senior officers of Health and related Departments relevant to HIV Control, participated and prepared action programmes for their respective Departments, and Organizations, totalling approximately 2000 participants.

b.    ISHA has worked with associations and sponsoring organizations for NGOs, such as Voluntary Health Associations of the States, Christian Children's Fund, etc, to train their Member Organizations in HIV/AIDS Control activities at the grass-root level.

c.    Conducted training programmes for large number of NGOs for grass root level youth leaders and community leaders on HIV-AIDS control, in Gokak, Chikkodi, Athni and Raibag taluks of Belgaum District, in Udupi taluk of Dakshina Kannada District, Dharwar Sishu Kalyana Kendra, Dharwar, and Honavar taluk of Uttar Kannada District, Central Tibetan Secretariat at Dharamshala and settlements in Karnataka,Dehradun,U.P. In collaboration with NGOs at Bangalore, Integrated Family Welfare Project, REDS, Rayapuram Slum Development Society, training the staff and community leaders in slums of Bangalore.

d.    Conducted series of training programmes for medical officers, nursing, and administrative staff of Tata Tea, Brook-Bond-Lipton, Assam Oil, Plantation Medical Officers in North Eastern States, Nursing Administrators participating in our national level nursing administration courses, PSG Institute of Medical Sciences Coimbatore; Meenakshi Mission Hospital, Balco Hospital, Korba, Tata Main Hospital, Jamshedpur; Rourkela Steel Hospital, Rourkela, and other public sector organizations.

e.    Conducted seven one-week training Programmes on, "Counselling Techniques", at National level to train health professionals, managers, and lay counsellors in counselling, specifically for HIV-AIDS and drug abuse management and prevention.

B.   PUBLICATIONS

At the request of Government of India's, and in collaboration with Department of Science and Technology, published a premier book on HIV-AIDS - An Update for Action. The manuscript was reviewed by WHO and NACO. Shri P.R.Dasgupta, Project Director and Additional Secretary, NACO, wrote the Foreword. Subsequently, besides the above publication, the following publications have been brought out.

i.    Comprehensive Document on HIV-AIDS in North Eastern States for Government of India, and North Eastern Council.
ii.   ISHA Journal : "Health Administrator" December 1993 Issue devoted to "HIV - AIDS in India : Epidemiology Diagnosis, Prevention and Control".
iii.    HIV-AIDS: An Update for Action in Kannada-1994
iv.   HIV-AIDS in India: Present Status and Critical Issues (under print, 2005).

Published four-page pamphlets in English and Kannada, one lakh copies each, for mass distribution in the awareness building workshops. Also a series of 10 cloth posters covering all aspects of HIV-AIDS for display in the seminar rooms were prepared. These are used for enrichment of the seminars wherever conducted.

f. Published a Book on "Counselling Techniques", to enable medical and paramedical professionals, and volunteers, develop counselling skills to counsel persons and families affected by HIV.

g. Currently preparing an important publication: "Guidelines for Infection Control in Hospital and Primary Health Care Facilities" for prevention of HIV infection in health care settings.

C. EXTENSION EDUCATION AND AWARENESS BUILDING

h. ISHA has organized the World AIDS Day, since December 1, 1994, in collaboration with Karnataka State Government, Indian Medical Association, and NGOs in which over 1000 professionals, community leaders, representatives of voluntary organizations, doctors, nurses, and students participated.

i. An exhibition was also organized in collaboration with Indian Social Health Organization. Television and radio broadcasts and panel discussions were also arranged.
j. In collaboration with the Government of Karnataka, undertook a comprehensive "HIV - AIDS Awareness Programme" to cover 40,000 high school and college students, and 10,000 KSRTC bus drivers, conductors, mechanics, and office staff, during 1996-97.
k. Currently preparing a film on "Mental Health, Adjustment, and Rehabilitation of the AIDS Persons". We hope to show this film in schools, colleges, industries, and to the general public throughout India to create awareness for prevention of HIV, and build social support for the AIDS persons for physical, social, psychological, and economic rehabilitation

D. RESEARCH, DOCUMENTATION, AND INTERVENTION STRATEGIES

l. National Meetings were organised at Bangalore December 1-3, 1996, and August 7-11, 2001, on "HIV -AIDS in India - Present Status, Diagnosis and Management", towards bringing out a comprehensive documentation of research findings and experiences related to HIV - AIDS in India, and create a data bank for the use of policy-makers, professionals, and researchers. Nearly 200 professionals and administrators from all over the country participated.

m. Keeping in view the need to promote healthy life style and quality of life, completed a major study on Health of the Youth in Slums of Bangalore" covering nearly 200 slums. This included medical and health check-up, including HIV testing of nearly 5000 youth, specifically from SC/ST groups. The Study was conducted in collaboration with the Municipal Corporation of Bangalore, and with partial financial assistance of Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, 1994.

n. In collaboration with, and partial financial assistance of the Department of Science and Technology, Govt of India, conducted during 1996-97, a comprehensive study on "Healthy Life-Style, Education, and HIV - AIDS Awareness", for 500 male and 500 female youth in 20 slums of Bangalore. These are intensive workshops involving attitude and behavioural changes regarding nutrition, hygiene, sanitation, pregnancy, sexual behaviour, STD, HIV-AIDS, drug addiction, alcoholism, and general personality development.

o. Completed a major study in 1996 with the partial financial assistance of Department of Science and Technology , New Delhi on Blood Supply, Requirements, and Safe Blood Practices to project HIV infection in two major cities in Karnataka State- Bangalore and Hubli-Dharwar. This study covered all the hospitals and nursing homes in the public and private sector in the two cities.

p. To assess and project infection and health hazards, completed a major study in 1997 on Management of Hospital Waste and Radio-Activity Survey in Bangalore and Hubli-Dharwar, Karnataka State with the partial financial assistance of Environmental Fund for NGOs, New Delhi.

q. Keeping in view the requirement for safe blood supply through voluntary blood donors to minimize blood infections, and greater patient recovery and survival, there is a need to motivate voluntary blood donors. Towards this objective, a comprehensive study is underway on attitude and motivation of donors and non-blood donors in Bangalore and Hubli-Dharwar. This study should help health organizations and the community in normal and disaster situations in mobilizing adequate safe blood supply to meet with the future requirements.

r. Crisis Counselling Centre: 24 hours free counselling services based on preventive and holistic medicine would be offered to HIV-AIDS persons, drug addicts, alcoholics, family adjustment, CSWs, and persons with terminal diseases of cancer, diabetes, and heart diseases. Our community awareness, education, and intervention projects are self-financed by ISHA, and no financial assistance is received from any source.

    ISHA is able to make this contribution with the positive support and trust in ISHA for its professional resources, by the Government of India, State Governments, WHO, NACO, Department of Science and Technology, professional educational institutions, NGOS, public sector industrial organizations, and private institutions.

E. FIGHT AGAINST AIDS

To create awareness about HIV-AIDS, prevention of HIV-AIDS, counselling high risk groups, grief handling, and community rehabilitation of AIDS persons, ISHA has initiated a national campaign on "Fight Against AIDS" through our Members all over India, and in collaboration with IT industry.