Abstract Book Vol. 2 [International Conference on AIDS (14th: 2002: Barcelona, Spain)]

662 Abstracts ThPeG8304-ThPeG8308

XIV International AIDS Conference

ThPeG8304 Discrimination and stigmatization: Living with
HIV/AIDS in a resource poor setting in the
Philippines
R.H.I. Imperial1, L.I. Hernandez2. 1 Center for MultiDisciplinary Studies on
Health and Development (CEMSHAD), College of Arts and, Sciences, University
of the PhilippinesManila, Padre Faura, Ermita Manila, 1001, Philippines;
2CEMSHAD, Manila, Philippines
Background: Underdeveloped economies like the Philippines have been greatly
affected with the onslaught of HIV/AIDS infection. Public tertiary care facilities
are not in a position to provide quality care since the system has to contend with
other more pressing causes of mortality and morbidity PLWHA receive meager
attention from these facilities and are left with no other option but to depend on
their families and their communities for support. The continuing downtrend in the
economy and poverty have caused their being further discriminated and stigmatized which led to their low self-worth assessment. This study was conducted
to determine their level of self-worth before and after diagnosis and their coping
mechanisms to mitigate the effects of the infection.
Methods: A cohort of 50 PLWA members of the Pinoy Plus, an HIV/AIDS organization were recruited. Using an ethographic interview schedule, their lifestyle and
present dispositions were determined. A survey questionnaire assessing their
self-worth was administered. Using the SPSS, ratings were computed from the
responses.
Results: Most of the respondents, 63.7% maintained that the their lives have
been ruined by the disease obfuscating any meaningful role they can have in
their communities. Moreover,.54.75 of the respondents worried about infecting
others continue to have sex only with their regular partners. Most said that they
expect family members and the community to support them after disclosing their
conditions. They also said that they will be actively involved in education activities
in their communities.
Conclusion: The study revealed that honestly disclosing their conditions is essential to building up their dignity and worth as human beings. They regard
the support of their fellow PLWHA as essential to mitigating discrimination and
stigmatization. They maintained that goivernment facilities must provide for treatment and care.
Presenting author: Reynaldo Imperial, College of Arts and, Sciences, University
of the PhilippinesManila, Padre Faura, Ermita Manila,1001, Philippines, Tel.: +63
4000012, Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]
ThPeG8305 The International Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies and the Network of African
People living with HIV/AIDS working in partnership
to empower the unreached in Eastern Africa
A.C. Aqanqa, Couteau. NAP+, IFRC, PO Box 41275, Nairobi, Kenya
The partnership initiated in 2000 between the International Federation of Red
Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Global Network of People living
with HIV/AIDS (GNP+) was seen as an opportunity to strengthen the contribution
of PLWHA's in the fight against the pandemic.
How to use Red Cross and Red Crescent (RC/RC) organizations to ensure that
million of people who are already HIV+ or have AIDS and who are out of reach for
the Network of African People Living with HIV/AIDS (NAP+) can receive appropriate care, have access to affordable drugs and can live full and useful lives in
their communities, this is the challenge that NAP+ Secretariat and the Federation
Regional Delegation in Nairobi have decided to tackle in Eastern Africa.
This partnership works to build on each organization's strengths: for NAP+ their
capacity to break the silence, advocate, lobby, and empower PLWHA's and for
IFRC their capacity to alleviate human suffering and reach out the most vulnerable through a network of RC/RC organizations and volunteers going down to
the district, the village, the community. Few months after the signing of the partnership agreement between IFRC and GNP+, the results are already tangible in
Eastern Africa.
- Joint training initiatives to build and decentralize capacities of both organizations
in advocacynetworking.
- A two year joint campaign to reduce HIV/AIDS related stigma.
- Joint Ambassador's of Hope Mission in difficult to reach countries like Djibouti,
Eritrea, Somalia to sensitize and lobby governments.
- Decentralisation of the Positive Living programme to empower emerging CBO's
of PLWHA's at grassroots levels.
- A greater involvement of PLWHA's in all RC/RC interventions.
Through partnership and networking, both organizations have demonstrated that
it is feasible to reach out and empower the unreached, to make the RC a better
home for PLWHA's and NAP+ a stronger network.
Presenting author: Patrick, Michael Couteau, Aganga, P.O Box 41275, Nairobi,
Kenya, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]

ThPeG8306 Building links between government and people
living with HIV/AIDS in Ukraine
L.S. Hyde, A.A. Klepikov, O.P. Purick. International HIV/AIDS Alliance, Kiev,
Ukraine
Issues: Cooperation between PLWA and state structures is a challenge for
Ukraine. Traditionally, government - civil society links are weak in the area of AIDS

as in other fields. The International HIV/AIDS Alliance in Ukraine (funded by USAID) has therefore adopted an advocacy policy of bringing PLWA into contact with
top officials to participate in policy-making on HIV/AIDS.
Description: The Alliance lobbied for and financially supported two members of
the All-Ukrainian Network of PLWA to attend preparatory sessions for the UNGASS. Here they participated in introducing amendments to the draft Declaration
of Commitment concerning inclusion of PLWA in decision-making.
After further lobbying and negotiations by the Alliance, two Network representatives were included, by amendment to a presidential decree, in the official delegation for the final session.
Lessons learned: The inclusion of PLWA in its official delegation made Ukraine
one of only a handful of countries from Eastern Europe and the CIS to act on
the UN's aim to make UNGASS open to civil sector representatives, and PLWA
in particular.
It brought together donor organizations in Ukraine in cooperation over financing and endorsing appeals to the government to include PLWA. The Network
increased its capacity in terms of international experience and access to information, and in working in partnership with government structures representing
Ukraine.
Recommendations: To build on the links established between government and
PLWA groups through a project advocating for PLWA and for those groups most
vulnerable to HIV in Ukraine (mainly IDUs) whose basic rights are regularly
abused. The legislative base already provides for human rights protection and
care and treatment; PLWA now need the information and skills to ensure the laws
are put into practice. The advocacy project will research abuses and develop
mechanisms for lobbying for change at national and regional level.
Presenting author: Lily Hyde, International HIV/AIDS Alliance, 5 Dmitrova street,
building 10a, 6th floor, Kiev 03150, Ukraine, Tel.: [phone], Fax: +380
44 490 5489, E-mail: [email protected]
ThPeG8307 Capacity building of people living with HIV to
document and carry out research
G. Gladston Xavier1, F.I.M. Benoit, P. Kousalya2. 1Loyola College, Department
of Social Work, Chennai, India; 2Positive Womens Network, Chennai, India
Issue: Capacity building of PHA in documentationand research
Description: Documentation and research are essential activities of organizational development. Organizations hire highly paid professionals for such services
due to in adequate training and resources. A recent study revealed that organizations did efficient work without any data to substantiate it. Consequently the
organizations were not credited for the work done. Another study in a leading HIV
hospital with a cohort of over 2000 PHA revealed that there was no data available
on the follow up. In another instance it was realized a Positive Women's network
which had over 200 women had no records to support its arguments to obtain
funds. The reasons cited by them were:no funds to hire professionals and no
expertise available within the organization to carry out such activities.
A training in basic research and documentation spread over one week was designed for the positive people in Chennai to carry out these activities by themselves. Volunteers and members of the Positive Women's Network who were
mostly school dropouts attended the training. The training covered practical sessions on need for documentation and research, confidence building exercises.
The program resulted in the preparation of tools for a study. As a follow up of
the program the trainees carried out a feasibility study to start self help groups in
Tamil Nadu, South India.
Lessons learnt: Simplification of research facilitates more research, context
based documentation facilitates easy documentation for unqualified. Realization
of the importance of the documentation of facts and figures to generate more
resources.
Recommendations: National level documentation workshops must be conducted for the positive people involvement of academic institutions must be
sought in traning and research.
Special incentives must be given by the government/funding agenciesto those
organizations maintaining systematic records.
Presenting author: gladston xavier gladston xavier, lecturer department of social work loyola college, chennai, India, Tel.: [phone], E-mail: gladstonxavier@ hotmail.com
ThPeG8308 A POST test club for facing AIDS in on an
anonymous testing centre in Bobo Dioulasso
S.R. Sanou1, S.S. Some1, K.C. Kafando2, T.M. Traore3. 1REV+, Bobo 382,
Burkina Faso; 2REV+, B, Burkina Faso; 3CADI, Bobo, Burkina Faso
In exists since 1996 an anonymous testing centre in Bobo-Dioulasso. Counsellors
are appointed for pre-test, announcement and post test activities. Those counsellors were either health or social workers. They hadn't enough time to exchange
deeply with people tested positive, owing to the proportion of the crowed atten
dance.Moreover, those counsellors were HIV negative, therefore their interventions had lesser impacts on the chock at the announcement. Facing the situation,
the community based organisation thought it would be relevant to involve two HIV
positive counsellors for counselling, thus the creation of a post test club.
First the organisation identified fearless HIV positive volunteers, they were formed
in counselling. They took office at the centre, their tasks were first, to welcome
the candidates to the tests, to give them informations, to introduce them to the