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SCA training in HIV/AIDS awareness
October 15, 2006
Although Afghanistan is a country with low prevalence of HIV/AIDS, with about 61 cases officially registered and four diseased from HIV/AIDS, it is possible that between 1500 up to 2000 people are suffering from HIV/AIDS. Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) is working to prevent a potentially spread of HIV/AIDS in Afghanistan by training in awareness of the staff. The main goal by doing this is to prevent a potential spread of HIV/AIDS amongst the multi-sectoral programmes operational areas that SCA is active in.
The Ministry of Public Health National HIV/AIDS strategy
The national HIV/AIDS and STI (Sexual Transmitted Infections) strategic plan emphasises on surveillance and research prevention of HIV/AIDS (Information Education Communication and Behaviour Change Communication) targeting vulnerable groups (young people, women, Intravenous drug users (internally displaced people and refugees), mobile labor force, (commercial sex workers), workers (at different industries e.g. mine industry) and general population prevention and effective management of STI blood safety voluntary counseling and testing, care, treatment and support. SCA endeavor’s to cover most of the priority areas of the national strategic plan in its HIV/AIDS programme.
Objectives of the HIV/AIDS training
The objectives to train SCA’s program and project’s and support staff in the issues related to HIV/AIDS prevention are to disseminate information and coordination with relevant partners. In doing so, SCA aims to reduce the risk of HIV infection within the project community target groups.
Over 2400 programs and project staff is planned to be trained during year 2006
• Kabul Management Office (KMO) and the Regional Office staff (management level of all programmes including program and support staff) - 350
• BPHS medical personnel -300 including midwives, nurses and doctors
• Education -74 school consultants
• Skilled laborers - 16
• Community staff -12
• Community Health Workers - 350
• Disability professionals – 28
• National Solidarity Programme staff – 20
• Rural engineering - 20
• Community Rehabilitation Development workers – 45
• Primary and Secondary School teachers - 1200
Future goals for HIV/AIDS preventive activities
SCA’s HIV/AIDS activities are of importance to minimize the threat of an HIV/AIDS outbreak in a country where such risks are considered high. SCA will continue train a variety of categories of SCA programme staff in order to create the awareness necessary to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and to ensure that behaviors and practices are consistent with standard preventive strategies of the HIV/AIDS national strategy for 2006 - 2010.
Furthermore, HIV/AIDS will be fully incorporated in the health programmes that provide structures and support to the HIV/AIDS activities through SCA BPHS projects. SCA endorses a comprehensive approach to promote the awareness of the general public to promote safe and hygienic practices in the health facilities to encourage risk reduction practices and to establish services for voluntary counseling and testing for suspected HIV/AIDS cases. In addition, the project also plans a big media campaign to spread appropriate information among the general public of SCA BPHS provinces.
Studies and research will be integrated components of the HIV/AIDS programme to establish strong knowledge on the various aspects of the problem and to measure the impact of different interventions undertaken by the programme.