SPANDANAM – COMBATING HIV/AIDS THROUGH EMPOWERMENT
IEC DIVISION OF KASACS HLFPPT
predator virus called HIV that causes the condition labeled as
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or AIDS. Kerala State AIDS Control
Society (KSACS) is committed to undertake all possible initiatives to
stop HIV and protect the precious life of the people of Kerala. Many
such initiatives and innovations became “Model” for other States in
India. KSACS always tries to unite with other similar Departments,
Institutions and Personalities that can contribute to the sexual
health/HIV prevention programmes.
“Spandanam” is such a programme initiated by KSACS in association with
the Social Welfare Department, Government of Kerala for the precise
prevention of HIV at the grassroots. The programme aims to capacitate
the workers of Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS) in
Kerala who have strong contacts among, and interactions with the
people, especially with women and children in rural and urban areas.
ICDS is a National Programme initiated 1975 to improve the health
standards of woman and children through proper supplementary
nutrition, immunization, regular health check-up, effective referral
services, pre-school non-formal education and proper health education.
ICDS programme in Kerala uphold high standard in service delivery
through Anganwadi Centres and is result oriented. The maximum allotted
population for an Anganwadi under ICDS scheme is 800-1000. The
Anganwadi workers, spearheads of the ICDS programme maintain adorable
rapport with the people of the area assigned to them. The Anganwadi
workers are the ladies selected from the local community who knows the
pulse of the community very well. They always act as agent for social
change, mobilizing community support for better health and care of the
young children, girls and women residing in the area.
Through ‘Spandanam’ KSACS tries to incorporate HIV programmes with the
regular activities of the Anganwadi workers. If they are properly
integrated to the HIV programme, they can address the HIV/AIDS/Sexual
health messages, services and commodities to the needy on time. As
agent of social change, they can fight against stigma and
discrimination suffered by HIV infected or affected people.
‘Spandanam’ aims to educate all people, particularly women and
adolescent girls on HIV/AIDS, its impact, available services to combat
it, gender issues associated with it, etc. through the empowerment of
Anganwadi Workers. It also aims to improve the HIV service uptake by
the needy people through effective referrals.
The first phase of the capacity building programme under ‘Spandanam’
was conducted during the months of October and November 2009. The
Anganwadi Workers of Kozhikode and Ernakulum districts were covered
during the first phase. These are the only two districts coming under
the HIV prevalence category of ‘B Districts’ in NACO estimation (B
Category: Less than 1% ANC prevalence in all the sites during last 3
years with more than 5% prevalence in any HRG(STD/FSW/MSM/IDU) sites)
from the State, where intensive intervention is needed among the whole
population.
A total of 5698 workers from 5698 Anganwadies were covered by 123
batches of training under ‘Spandanam’ during its first phase. A worker
covers an average of 800 people during her regular work and hence the
programme will benefit a total of 4558400 people from both the
districts in due course. The programme expects that all the women
population in these districts to become well aware about HIV/AIDS and
thereby prevent new infections. It is also expected that the uptake of
ICTCs and other services will be improved through this programme. It
is anticipated that a harmonious environment will be created for HIV
infected people to live in the community without any sort of
discrimination. It will also ensure that no child is sent out from the
Anganwadi on account of HIV infection.
Prevention of new infections through the saturated coverage of high
risk groups and scaling up interventions for the general population is
one of the major objectives of NACP-III to achieve its stated goal of
‘halt and reverse the epidemic in India over the next five years’.
‘Spandanam’ will certainly support the scaling up HIV/AIDS/Sexual
Health interventions among the general population.
Best Practice Documentation Unit
IEC Division of Kerala State AIDS Control Society
Thiruvanamthapuram, Kerala, INDIA