WORLD AIDS DAY 2017 – Nepal (NMSS)

Name of the activity: WORLD AIDS DAY 2017

Country/NMO: Nepal (NMSS)

Program: HIV/AIDS & Other STIs

Type of the activity: Education

General description:

The whole project can be divided into two parts:
 Before “World AIDS Day”
 On “World AIDS Day”
Before “World AIDS Day”
We will begin the project 6 days prior to the first December. We will be going to different public places in a group. We will stay on those places for around 2 hour and will distribute red-ribbons and brochures to people there.We will also keep awareness posters there. We will also invite them in TUTH on 1st December for further information and screening.
Volunteers will be given a Proper orientation by experts before initiation of whole project.
The details of places are tabulated below:
Date
Place to be visited
25th December- Funpark
26th December-All Bhatbhateni supermarket of Kathmandu
27th December- Two famous temples of Kathmandu
28th DecemberBuspark (old/new)
29th December World Heritage sites
30th December-Kalimati Vegetable Market
On “World AIDS Day”
On “world AIDS day”, we will keep stalls and free HIV screening camp. TUTH is a central hospital in Kathmandu, so flow of patient during OPD time is always very high. Besides there will be people who were invited through our awareness programs before AIDS day. Including other people particularly patients parties, we can expect thousands of visitors in our stall during the day. In stall we will have our medical students as volunteer who will be facilitating visitors. Means of education and awareness shall be through charts, pictures, brochures and pamphlets distributions, information sharing and discussion. Red ribbon will be distributed. Free availability of condom, importance and need of condom for safe sex and its correct use will also be taught.Making red ribbon in ground with help of red color will be additional attraction.
Free HIV screening camp will be set up where visitors can get themselves screened for HIV. It will be run by trained medical practitioners, appropriate consent will be taken and secrecy will be assured. Street drama on HIV/AIDS will be additional highlight of the day.
We will also do candle light in evening, finally concluding the day.

Focus area:

STI testing, Removing stigmatization and empowering people living with HIV, Raising awareness among the general public about STIs

Problem statement:

According to recent national data on HIV/AIDS in Nepal, there are around 33000 people living with HIV/AIDS in Nepal.HIV in Nepal is highly heterogeneous. The epidemic is concentrated in intravenous drug users, female sex workers, men having sex with men and migrants.Even though there are over 200 national non-governmental organizations (NGOs), NGO networks and community-based organizations working in the HIV/AIDS sector, progress has been slow and not dramatic enough to make a significant and impactful difference. So why is this happening? Where is the real problem? We tried to find out answer.
Nepal’s poverty, political instability and gender inequality, combined with low levels of education and awareness make the task challenging, as do the denial, stigma, and discrimination that surround HIV and AIDS. Some groups like teenagers and youths, although apparently highly aware of the HIV do not always translate this awareness into safe sex practices. So there is still need of massive awareness and education programs about HIV/AIDS, its risky groups, prevention and control measures, treatment and impact on society.Besides, rehabilitation of HIV patient is also a challenging job in context of our country because of poor access to health facility, poverty, lack of proper education and awareness. Infact, most of the HIV cases are hidden or either kept undiagnosed with the fear of being isolated in society as HIV is still a stigma in our society.. They are also socially and mentally ill along with infection of HIV. So it’s highly required to break the darkness and lighten the society with education and awareness. It’s high time to end HIV stigmas, and talk about the psychological issues of HIV patient. They need proper counselling and guidance such that making their life easier and healthier.

Target groups and beneficiaries:

General Public of Kathmandu Valley (around 10000 people)

Objectives and indicators of success:

To educate and aware people about HIV/AIDS, its mode of transmission, risky practices, clinical presentations, prevention , safety measures and treatment plans.
Indicator: By asking feedbacks after counselling.
 To encourage people implement their knowledge and education into practice for safe sexual habits.
Indicator: Requesting young youths to participate in our activity and looking their participation.
 To create awareness about HIV stigma and taboos prevalent in our society and highlight the importance of healthy and stigma free society for HIV victims.

 To facilitate the visitors with free availability of condoms, educate about importance of condoms and encourage its use for safe sex practice.
 To provide platform for the visitors where they can freely share their problems, and discuss any misconception regarding HIV/AIDS with our volunteers.
Indicator: No. of participants in our counselling stall.
 To encourage people get themselves screened for HIV if they are practicing any risky behaviors, educate them how early detection and regular anti-retroviral therapy can help living longer and healthy life.
Indicator: No. of participants who have done screening.
 To make discussion about the psychological and mental health issues of HIV patient and its impact on their life.
 To make discussion on counselling and rehabilitation of HIV patient, as a medical professionals, such that making life of patient easier.
 To make maximum participation in awareness campaigns and education programs such that their dimensions of knowledge becomes broader

Methodology:

Methodologies:
Mass awareness through awareness stall.
HIV screening

Plans for evaluation:

In order to evaluate our program, we will keep two questionnaire viz. at the beginning of our stall and and at the end of stall. At first, every visitor will answer the question in form just like quiz and then he/she will visit all the stalls and at the end, he/she will be evaluated again through questionnaire. The effectiveness of our program will be evaluated on same basis. Also the people, who have done screening will also be given pre and post questionnnaire, i.e. before counselling and after counselling and will be evaluated accordingly.
Similarly the number of participants visiting our stall and getting screening on that particular day will be method our evaluation since we are visiting different places inviting people for world AIDS day celebration and in the meantime, awaring them about HIV/AIDS