HIV/AIDS Testing & Counselling
Awareness and counseling:
Because HIV/AIDS is the most dangerous disease since last few decades and affecting the productive age groups thus impacting the more and more families to ruin economically and emotionally. Since there is no specific treatment to cure HIV, prevention is the only method to stay out of this disease.
Chaitanya Sravanthi has taken an initiative to bring awareness among its working areas and conducted free testing and counseling camps in various areas.
WHY HIV/AIDS awareness?
The answer is
Anyone can get HIV, therefore it is important for any person to get tested. There is no gender bias for HIV testing.
Focus on health seeking behavior- it is not only your health, but your family’s health is also very important.
It is not only through sexual mode, there are other modes of transmission of HIV. Therefore, to clear one’s doubt, it is always better to get tested.
There are no symptoms, so even healthy persons can have HIV. To know whether one is having HIV or not, testing is the only medium.
It is not only testing here we talk about how to protect yourself and your family from HIV.
Confidentially and anonymity is also maintained.
Why focus on girls and women relating to HIV/AIDS
It’s simple. women and girls are more prone to get this disease due to
Weak gender and discrimination
Poor economical conditions and don’t know how to protect
Lack of awareness on modes of transmission
And less access to health check ups
WHAT WE EXPECTING:
If we can give girls and women access to health products and services, we will transform societies. We have the chance to lift entire families, communities and nations out of poverty. Providing good health to a woman or girl is the surest investment we can make to end extreme poverty in our lifetime.
When girls and women have access to basic health services, they are healthier, they go to school and join the workforce.
Poverty is directly linked to the poor health of women
Women traditionally play the role of caregiver for their families (even if they work outside of the home), and almost always reinvest earned income in their family’s needs like food, education and medicine. In fact, women’s unpaid work accounts for as much as one-third of the world’s gross national product.
The ripple effect from investing in women is enormous. Their children are healthier, their families are more successful, and their communities are more prosperous. Investing in women today can help build the stronger and healthier societies of tomorrow.
OUR ROLE:
Over the years, the empowerment function of chaitanya sravanthi has become more dominant over the welfare and assistance functions. Even in the domain of counseling, the role of Chaintanaya Shrvanthi has been expanded their activities to environmental protection, HIV/AIDS awareness, and legal counseling.
As Indigenous organization, we partnered with some other NGOs and welfare organizations to provide multi health care services to Reach under-served populations who may not otherwise have convenient access to affordable health services.
HIV/AIDS is one of the most vulnerable and highly spreading disease in India. Due to unawareness and illiteracy. We took an holistic approach to fight against this demon by partnering with the PSI international organization.
A Brief report on Out Reach Sites
Approach to women’s health and special attention is given to the needs of women and their families. Dr. Shirin Rahman of Chaitanya Sravanthi adopted measures that take into account the rights of women to enable them to exercise informed choices, their vulnerability to sexual and health problems together with infectious and communicable diseases such as STD, HIV/AIDS and TB. Chaitanya Sravanthi felt there is a need to tackle HIV/AIDS related issues as part of women empowerment program and given more importance to STI/ HIV/AIDS and TB awareness and Voluntary Counseling and Testing services among women and couples Community coordinators of Chaitanya Sravanthi motivate women & couples to go for HIV counseling and testing Chaitanya Sravanthi is empowering women by motivating them to get test for HIV through PSI VCTC services and in the process through the health of the family the women are empowered.The outreach VCT programme in collaboration with Chaitnya Sravanthi was started on 10th July,2007.The idea was basically to reach out mainly to female clients spread out across a larger geographical area. Community coordinators are coordinating with PSI staff for selecting and identifying out reach sites to provide VCT services. They are motivating women and also couples to get HIV counseling and testing done. They are motivating the people to come forward voluntarily for VCT Services without any stigma and discrimination. Before starting the outreach site, the PSI staff co-ordinates with the community leader to conduct awareness programmes.In that, all the group leaders are informed about HIV/AIDS ,importance of getting HIV counseling and testing and ways to motivate their spouse’s/family members for the services Till now, ten such awareness programs were conducted and reached 1421 clients till august ’08 in five areas- Kotaveedhi, Chilakapeta, Rangarejveedhi, Bukkaveedhi and Jalaripeta.30 follow-up sessions were done at Kotaveedhi13 positive clients were seen and 11 clients availed Care and support services at various centres.Following are the break-up of the clients seen at various sites. PSI expressed sincere thanks to Chaitanya Sravanthi for making this program viable and successful. We will continue to cooperate with Chaitanya Sravanthi with for a long term commitment to empowering the women in all the ways possible.
