HIV \ AIDS Prevetion And Intervention Programme.
Lokmanya has been in the forefront in HIV / AIDS Prevention Programme since the early 80’s. The Blood Bank of Lokmanya was recognized as AIDS Surveillance Centre with 5 other Blood Banks (1986-1999) attached to it by W.H.O. which included AIDS Surveillance and counseling of Sero Positive Individuals awareness in surrounding industrial and urban-rural area of PCMC.
“AIDS Is Your Business”
AIDS IS YOUR BUSINESS
“If you have global operations you have got an HIV infected workforce. Doing something about it will save lives - as well as your money” Dr. V. G. Vaidya
Presciencing the HIV/AIDS is impacting on economic activity and social progress around the world. Only now are the hidden costs of HIV/AIDS to business coming to light. Besides the costs to individual companies, HIV/AIDS is hampering human resource development, undermining the skills base and driving away foreign investment. The benefits of a proactive approach far outweigh the costs of doing nothing.
Over 90 percent of people with HIV/AIDS are in the most productive period of their lives be they workers, managers or employers. According to the International Labour Organisation as many as 36 million of the 39 million people living with HIV are in some form of productive activity. There is no doubt then that HIV/AIDS
affects business causing costs to escalate and markets to contract. While many would argue that business has a moral responsibility to help tackle the worst health crisis the world has seen in 700 years, there is also the matter of the bottom line.
HIV/ AIDS Awareness Programme for Industrial Workers 1996-97
India is experiencing a period of high economic growth and rapid social and demographic change. There is increasing concern about the manner in which this transformation is impacted by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. While the Government of India has taken significant measures to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS, much remains to be done.
HIV/AIDS has no cure, Experts suggests that Prevention & Awareness is the most cost effective and beneficial for the total human mankind to fight HIV/AIDS. Education through media can reduce high risk behavior in the practice of safe sex. Social Marketing of contraceptives can only reduce effective transmission of disease from one affected person to another.
Research conducted by Lokmanya Medical Research Centre shows that if companies invest in prevention and treatment programmes, the savings outweigh the costs. Providing care and treatment for HIV-positive employees can reduce the financial burden of HIV/AIDS by as much as 40 percent.
The other most important aspects of the study was to disseminate information widely about HIV/AIDS and its prevention through various information centers like (School/Colleges), Industrial house (Workers/Executives), Public Relation Department, Government Machinery, Hospitals, NGO’s to the community. Conducting training programmes where legitimate network of community, NGO’s and Government machinery should be established so as to build constructive relationship, intervention and to train peer group educators.
The workplace is the ideal environment for tackling this epidemic as employers and employees group together
regularly in an environment where communication systems to disseminate information and undertake education programmes exist.This is what LOKMANYA Medical Foundation had been doing in their “HIV/AIDS Awareness Programme for Industrial Workers(1996-97)” when the corporate sector was hesitant to initiate the program in their industries & When AIDS was not a priority.
LMF undertook a Project on HIV/ AIDS Awareness Programme for Industrial Workers ‘covering Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Area. Health education material was developed for distribution like books, Pamphlet, brochure, slides, video, wall posters, exhibition charts,
Programme Impact : Trained 183 peer group leaders disseminated information and conducted workshops for co-workers and motivated 5,995 families and generating awareness to more than 50000 community members. Follow up programme and post – training feedback was evaluated internally and externally. The Pre & Post assessment of HIV\AIDS awareness level shows mean increase of 19.80%.