Bridging the Gap: Conference Record [Abstract book, International Conference on AIDS (12th: 1998: Geneva, Switzerland)]

12th World AIDS Conference

Abstracts 43393-43398 923

fessionals from the field of Education are being trained to work with staff and
students of Military Schools and Academies, reaching 1,500 students/year.
Results: 76 officers trained in three months, with continuous prevention programs implemented in their Units. Production of specific information, educational
and communication support material. Distribution of 1 million copies of an educational newsletter; distribution of 100.000 (one hundred thousand) informative
folders. Distribution of 1,750.288 (one million seven hundred and fifty thousand,
two hundred and eighty eight condoms) during the second semester of 97.
Lessons Learned: The project has been well accepted, and the military staff
involved is willing to keep the activities in their Units. It was found necessary to better characterise the target population in order to focus educational interventions
more effectively.
43393 An innovative approach for HIV/AIDS and STD prevention
among Nepalese military
Pradeepta Upadhyay1, R. Bhadra2, K.P. Bista, A. Erpelding3. 1 UOH STD HIV
Project PO Box 6331 Kathmandu; 2BP Memorial Health Foundation Kathmandu
Nepal; Heidelberg, Nepal; 3 Tropical Hygiene and Public Health OUH Heidelberg,
Germany
Issue: To provide HIV/AIDS/STD education and prevention fr military personnel
through comprehensive strategies ensures programme sustainabilty.
Project: In Nepal, specific interventions targeted at the military were introduced only recently. In a survey conducted among recruits of a trainng camp,
40% of those married lived separate from their families. 8.1% indicated having
had multiple sex partners in the last three months. A substantial gap between
knowledge and practice was found and misperception about HIV transmission
were frequent. To correct this, an education and awareness programme was
developed to facilitate the dissemination of information and to encourage open
discussion on ex and sexuality. The prgramme consists of sensitisation workshops, training of per educators and the establishment of information centres for
the military as well as the general population. To date, 100 per educators were
given training on HIV/AIDS and STD along with communication skills. With regular
and monitoring from WICOM they were encouraged to design and develop their
own programmes.
Results: (i) since the beginning of the programe, peer educators helped tomotivate and mobiliese 1300 colleagues concerning HIV/AIDS and STD related
symptoms. 50,000 condoms were distributed. (ii) To ensure the sustainability of
the intervention atraining nodule on HIV/AIDS/STD was developed and integrated
into the professional training curriculum the military. (iii) Regular follow-up and
support frm the higher military authorities encouraged the peer educators toconduct formal and informal awareness activities in other military camps and during
visits to their families and communities.
Lessons Learned: The peer education approach is effevtive as it ensures rapid
dessemination of information. The participatory approach of the intervention has
proven highly effective and the consistent involvement of the concerned medical
personnel has resulted in reducing the barriers for seeking treatment.
43394 STDS/AIDS prevention among military and police
personnel in Cameroon
Alexis Boupda, Michel Ella. Cameroon Health Program, PO Box 2338, Yaounde,
Cameroon
Objective: To reduce STD/AIDs infection among military and police personnel in
11 garnisons in Cameroon.
Methods: Analyzing of the first sero-KAPB survey conducted in 7 garnisons
in 1990 (HIV rate 3.3% vs 1.1% in the general population); Sensitization of military and police authorities, Second sero-KAPB were conducted in 11 garnisons,
PHEs identified and trained in different sites, production and distribution of IEC
materials, training of Health personnel on the STDs treatment, monthly education
sessions have been helded by PHEs to their colleagues, creation of condom
sales' points.
Results: From 1993 to 1996, two sero-KAPB surveys were conducted (HIV
rate 6.6 % in 1993 and 12% in 1996), 400 PHEs trained, 50000 IEC materials developed, 100000 IEC materials distributed, 30 Health personnel trained,
STDs/AIDs prevention activities have been included in the training curricula by
the Ministry of Defense, 50000 military and police educated, 11 condom sales'
points created.
Conclusion: According to the results of the second sero-KAPB survey, the rate
of HIV prevalence is very high.
i 43395 HIV/AIDS awareness in the military of Sri Lanka
Sujatha Samarakoon. 167A Sri Vipulasena Mawatha Colombo 10, Sri Lanka
Objective: To determine the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions towards
HIV/AIDS among the military.
Methodology: A sample of 200 army personal from two camps were randomly

selected to participate in a HIV/AIDS awareness survey. A self administered
semi structured questionnaire was used to gather data. The data were analysed
using the epi-info software and statistical significance was tested using t test and
chi-square tests.
Results: Nearly all (97%) had accurate knowledge pertaining to transmission
by unprotected sex with an infected person, contaminated blood and blood products and from mother to child. Nearly all (98%) knew that condoms reduce HIV

spread. The knowledge of non transmission modes was good. Seventeen percent
were of the view that working with an infected person would put them at risk.
Majority (94%) were aware that a blood test was available to detect the disease. If
they were to engaged in a risky behaviour 89% were ready to test their serostatus
after such an exposure. Nearly 47% were of the view that testing blood before
transfusion ensures its safety. If they were infected 84% wished to be treated in
a government hospital as oppose to 12% by private doctors and 2% at home. A
considerable fear of being infected by injured soldiers/enemies was expressed
by 46%. A significant association was noted between the rank and the perception
of the HIV threat to Sri Lanka (p = 0.02).
A high degree of HIV/AIDS awareness is present among this sample of military
men. Sri Lanka is a country with low HIV prevalence and programmes launched
by the National STD/AIDS control programme and the NGOs have had a positive
effect. As they are a special occupational group there is a need for more in depth
education about screening and infection control.
S43396 Occupational vulnerability of soldiers to HIV infection:
Implications for effective condom promotion
Olanrewaju Adeniran, F.A. Adeoye, A.O. Osibogun, T.A. Shabi. NA Base
Hospital, PM.B. 2004, YABA, Lagos, Nigeria
Objectives: To determine the rate of seroconversion in order to quantify the
magnitude of the problem and relate this to gaps in knowledge, attitude and
condom use with a view to developing appropriate intervention strategies.
Design: Prospective study
Methods: All population study of soldiers on the peace enforcement mission
were seronegative at the time of deployment. The sameretested on return after
40 months posting at mission area. All blood specimen were screened using
capillus and Immuno comb-bispot test kits specimen which tested positive at firm
an Innolar. All soldiers interviewed using a structure self administered questionnaire to obtain information on their awareness about behavioural attitudes to and
condom use related to HIV/AIDS.
Results: Profound knowledge/awareness of HIV/AIDS by the soldiers. Behavioural attitudes and condom utilisation inconsistent with the knowledge at their
seronegative before they left for Liberia.
Conclusion: The wide gap between KAB and condom use in HIV prevention
indicate a strong need to provide an enabling environment such as effective
condom promotion and supply either by free distribution or social marketing to
enlisted ranks and officers.
43397 HIV-infection in the Russian Federation military forces
Eugeny Zmushko, V.N. Bolekhan. Lebedeva Str. 6 Saint-Petersburg 194044
AIDS Department, Medico-Military Academy Saint-Petersburg, Russia
Nowadays AIDS in Russia and its the Military Forces as well as in other countries presents a real danger for the national health service. The registration of
HIV-Infection in the Military Forces was started in 1989. From this time up to the
year 1996 the main way of transmission of infection was sexual intercourse. At
the end of the year 1995 the epidemic in Russia gained a new quatitative status
due to the rapid spread of infection in intravenous drug addicts population. This
tendency made no exception for some groups of military population. The infection
rate in the Military Forces by the 31st of December 1997 was 7.06%. Infected
persons are mainly young men that became drug addicts before the recruitment.
Of special interest is the statistics of HIV-infection identification in the Military
Forces. From 1989 up to 1995 each case of HIV-infection was registered every
98 days, in the year 1996 - every 9 days and in the 1997 - every 4 days.
The spread of HIV infection in the Military Forces of the Russian Federation is
connected with intravenous way of transfer of causative agent in specific groups
of military men who had become drug addicts before the recruitment.
S43398 Interpersonal IEC as a long-term strategy for the
prevention of STD/HIV/AIDS in the Moroccan Royal
Armed Forces
Slimane Neije. Military Hospital Mohamed V Rabat, Morroco
The strategy to prevent STD/HIV/AIDS in the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces and
their families was developed and introcuded in 1998. This strategy comprises the
following components: medical, psychological and social management of patients
suffering from STDs or HIV inflection and AIDS; safe blood transfusion and IEC.
The IEC component, which has been further developed since 1996 in collaboration with the European Commission, maintains as its main objective the control
of sexual transmission of STDs and HIV infection. A multi-disciplinary technical
committe was established to conduct a qualitative and quantitative socio-anthropological study to provide baseline data on STD/HIV and AIDS within the army.
The results of the study used to develop a IEC intervention at both practical and
theoretical level aiming at the training of some 240 peer group educators per year,
selected among medical doctors, social workers, religious and military advisors

from 10 garrisons. These educators are responsible for organising interpersonal
IEC sessions on STD/HIV and AIDS for the benefit of military personnel and their
families. By the end of the project (in the year 2001), it is planned that 1200
peer-group educators will have been trained and some 200000 military personnel
and 5000 families will have received IEC messages for the prevention of STDs
and HIV infection.