Red Ribbon clubs formed by SEVAI promote “Responsible Choices for Healthy Life”

Project Director,TANSACS conducts review in SEVAI-TI/LWS-HIV/AIDS

The TANSAC Project Director, Shri. Vivekanandan, I.A.S and the TANSAC officials from Chennai and DAPCU team from Trichy visited SEVAI and conducted review with the members of staff of TI and also LWS of HIV/AIDS project supported by TANSACS/VHS as per the Guidelines of NACO. The Project Director and team monitored the power point presentation given by SEVAI Team and they also had interaction with SEVAI team, Peer educators, Link workers and gave useful tips for achieving cent percent targets applying to the conditions of local initiatives also achieving zero new HIV/AIDS patients. Subsequently to the review and internal review was conducted in SEVAI by its Director K.Govindaraju and insisted that all the instructions and guidance given by authorities are to be achieved with cent percent involvement and achievement. K.Govindaraju further said, “Protecting the health and human rights of vulnerable and marginalized groups is both an end in itself and an essential element of tackling the AIDS epidemic. SEVAI, a local NGO with the support of TANSACS, VHS with NACO guidelines is committed to assisting those who are most disenfranchised. Red Ribbon Club is about making “Responsible Choices for Healthy Life”. Red Ribbon clubs have been created in 100 villages in Trichirappalli District under LWS Project being implemented by SEVAI under the guidance and support of VHS and TANSACS and NACO. On a practical level, prevention activities aimed at key affected and at-risk groups can curtail the spread of the infection into the general population, locations where HIV is low and concentrated among certain sub-groups. In such settings, specific interventions to reach those at highest risk should be combined with broader efforts. Often poverty, and the marginalization associated with it, contributes to vulnerability. Poverty may, for instance, force girls or women to trade sexual favours for food to feed their families, or prevent individuals from buying condoms. It can keep adolescents out of school, depriving them of an opportunity to find out about how the virus is transmitted, and putting them at greater risk of drug abuse and risky sexual encounters. It can exacerbate family tensions that lead to domestic violence. Addressing the underlying causes of vulnerability to infection, including poverty and gender equality, is critical to eventually ending the epidemic. The epidemic remains a serious, entrenched health crisis that demands a strong, sustained and evidence-informed response. In the absence of a cure, prevention is the only hope of reversing AIDS. This requires intensifying the scale and scope of HIV-prevention measures that have been shown to work. The supplies and services - even basic information about how HIV is being transmitted - to reduce rates of infection remain out of reach for most of the people who are at risk. Reversing HIV/AIDS efforts are based on the promotion, protection and respect of human rights including gender equality. Programmes implemented are differentiated and locally-adapted to the relevant epidemiological, economic, social and cultural contexts. Actions involved are evidence-informed and investment to expand the evidence base should be strengthened. HIV prevention programming is at a coverage, scale and intensity that is enough to make a critical difference. Meaningful involvement of young people and of people living with HIV in all aspects of programming is essential.  Programming must reach out to those underserved populations most at risk and vulnerable.  It must be firmly informed by evidence, and respond to the particular characteristics of the local context. Moreover, programmes need to be implemented with a view towards strengthening national capacity and involving communities. SEVAI advocates for and supports comprehensive and appropriate sexual health education as well as information and education services that clearly explain how sexual transmission of HIV can be averted. Successful HIV treatment reinforces HIV prevention. In particular, it makes voluntary testing and counselling more attractive to key groups that are at special risk. It also reduces the stigma and discrimination associated with the disease. Without treatment opportunities, however, prevention efforts can stall. Likewise, prevention is needed to help keep new infections at bay, and thus to make treatment sustainable. The ultimate goal is universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support”. Govin