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

XIV International AIDS Conference

Abstracts ThPeG8376-ThPeG8379 677

not consider their vulnerability to drugs, prostitution, violence from drug dealers,
policemen and others. Through the Little Citizen Project with the support of the
Ministry of Health and local Institutions performs actions of STD/Aids prevention
and assistance among children and adolescents in a situation of "bio-psychosocial" risk, by rescuing their Citizenship and making use of art, culture and by
encouraging them to develop "Projects of Life".
Description: This Project has: Social Workers, Psychologits, Teachers (street
dance, rap, break, capoeira) and 08 homeless kids who now work as peer educators disseminating social and health information. The project has systematic
actions in the streets and organizes debates on STD/Aids by using playing games
such as: dance workshops, music, capoeira (an Afro-Brazilian mix of dance and
fight), painting, games, rap, etc.
Lessons learned: Approximately 600 children and adolescents living in the street
have received information on STD/Aids transmission and prevention through
artistic and cultural activities conducted by the Project, as well as 400 family membrrs, and 200 professionals of the city who work with this population.
Recomendation: Discussing STD/Aids transmission and prevention with these
homeless youth required as a methodological strategy to the activities that stimulate information, associated with games and plays in order to rescue and internalize contents of STD/Aids prevention and citizenship.
Presenting author: Valbria Boreli, Rua Miguel Motta, 400, Alto da mooca, Sao
Paulo, 3191110, Brazil, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail:
mabersani @ uol.com.br
ThPeG8376 Strengthening integration of preventive education
for HIV/AIDS in the pre-departure orientation
seminar for migrant sorkers: A Philippine
experience
M.S.B. Tempongko1, M.J.K. Bunagan2, F.M. Tadiar2, L. Roquero3. ISEAMEO
-GTZ- CHASPPAR, Seameo Tropmed Network Central Office, 420/6 Rajvithi
Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand; 2 CHASPPAR-Philippines, Metro Manila,
Philippines; 3PNAC, Manila, Philippines
Issues: 1. Increased vulnerability of migrant workers to HIV/AIDS due to their
marginalization, limited access to information, services, and support groups in
host countries. 2. Ineffective implementation of the HIV/AIDS module in the predeparture orientation seminar for workers.
Decription: The Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998 mandates
that a module on HIV/AIDS be intregrated in the pre-departure orientation seminar (PDOS) given to all migrant workers. However, an assessment of this activity
showed weaknesses both in content and process of implementation. HIV/AIDS
was presented as a medical problem perceived to be irrelevant by departing
workers. The process of implementation was found to be ineffective and irregular
primarily because of the inadequacy of the trainors. A series of activities were undertaken to strengthen and standardize the module through a collaborative effort
of government, non-government organizations and previous migrant workers who
became infected. The module was pretested and field tested on several accredited PDOS providers. To date, it is the official module being utilized in the country.
Training of trainors of PDOS providers is continuously being done.
Lesson learned: Participation of infected migrant workers contributed to making
the content more relevant by including social,cultural, and economic perspectives
of HIV/AIDS. The instructional guidelines for the trainors standardized the process. The collaborative effort made the more acceptable to all stakeholders.
Recommendations: Regular monitoring of its utilization as well as an evaluation
after a certain period should be undertaken.
Presenting author: Ma. Sandra Tempongko, Seameo Tropmed Network Central
Office, 420/6 Rajvithi Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand, Tel.: [phone], Fax:
[phone], E-mail: [email protected]
ThPeG8377 Migrant workers and AIDS in Israel
D. Parnas', M.A. Germanovitch', H. Lernau', L. Ben-Moshe', R. Kessler',
D. Chemtob2. 1The Israel AIDS Task Force, Tel-Aviv, Israel; 2Department of
Tuberculosis & AIDS, Public Health Services, Jerusalem, Israel
Issues: There are 200,000-300,000 non-Israeli migrant workers in Israel (at least
half are undocumented). Although they constitute 3-5% of the general population,
almost 25% of individuals identified as HIV positive in recent years in Israel are
migrant workers. This is probably due to the fact that many migrant workers came
from countries with a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS (especially from sub-Saharan
Africa). Currently, most undocumented migrant workers in Israel are not eligible
for anti-retroviral treatment, with the exception of pregnant women and children.
A comprehensive plan to prevent and treat HIV among these populations is therefore necessary.
Description: We will present a strategy to prevent and treat HIV among migrant
workers. This strategy involves the collaboration of NGOs, AIDS centers, the Ministry of Health and the AIDS pharmaceutical companies in Israel. This collabo
ration may enable us to treat migrant workers in a cost-effective manner, since
we will rely on existing infrastructure. The Israel AIDS Task Force coordinates the
project, and is responsible for an out-reach program to the migrant communities.
Due to budgetary constraints, the first step towards integration of migrant workers
into the general services will be mobilizing existing commnity resources. As part
of this mobilization, the project relies on joining the Accelerating Access Initiative
in order to lower the price of drugs to the migrant population.

Lessons learned: When planning such large-scale projects, it is crucial to involve as many organizations dealing with AIDS as possible. We are relying on the
connections already formed by other NGOs with the migrant population, and on
the expertise of the Ministry of Health, the AIDS centers, UNAIDS and the WHO.
Recommendations: This project could be a template for treating migrant workers
in other developed countries where migrant workers are not eligible for treatment.
Presenting author: Aviram Germanovitch, The Israel AIDS Task Force, 10a
Geula St., PRO. Box 4071, Tel-Aviv, 61040, Israel, Tel.: [phone], Fax:
[phone], E-mail: [email protected]
ThPeG8378 A cultural analysis of experiences of HIV and AIDS
in Spanish-speaking MSM in Toronto, Canada
J. Cedano', D. Allman 2, T. Myers2, R. Travers2, W. Lau3, J. Maxwell4,
L. Calzavara2, I. Cordeiro2, C. Lau2. 'HIV/AIDS Prevention Program, Centre for
Spanish-Speaking Peoples, Toronto, ON, Canada; 2HIV Social, Behavioural and
Epidemiological Studies Unit, University of Toronto, ON, Canada; 3Asian
Community AIDS Services, Toronto, Canada; 'AIDS Committee of Toronto,
Toronto, ON, Canada
Issues: In Toronto where there are many cultural influences, stereotypic designations and references to gay and bisexual men prove inadequate as there is no
one community of MSM. This analysis reaches beyond this to highlight the importance of culture (beliefs, values, norms and meanings) in the context of Hispanic
MSM experiencing HIV and AIDS.
Description: In the fall of 1999, a partnership was developed to identify research
issues and questions in five ethnocultural communities. For Spanish-speaking
communities, in-depth interviews were conducted with male service users and
key-informants. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed within a framework of grounded theory
Lessons learned: Individuals interviewed were between the ages of 25-54. 50%
were from South America, 30% from Mexico and 20% from Central America.
40% were Canadian citizens; 20% were refugees; 50% lived below the poverty
line; and 60% were HIV positive. Analysis revealed 14 themes categorized within
three spheres: 1) The Cultural (culture shock, taboos, unity, the Church, the family and machismo); 2) The Societal (division, racism, immigration, illegality, HIV
discrimination, prevention and education); and 3) The Individual (fear, denial).
Strong anti-homosexual influences of the cultural sphere were seen to be especially damaging, leading respondents to experience heterosexually-identified yet
homosexually-active double lives.
Recommendations: Findings suggest that within Toronto's Spanish-speaking
communities, HIV is believed synonymous with the concept of MSM. While some
Spanish-speaking MSM may have technical understandings of how to prevent
HIV and STD transmission and infection, recent residents and immigrants may
lack rudimentary understandings. Because language remains a major issue, key
culturally-sensitive materials should be developed for Spanish-speaking Canadians, visitors, immigrants and refugees and made available upon entry.
Presenting author: Jose Cedano, 517 College Street, Suite 209, Mailbox #9,
Toronto, Ontario, M6G 4A2, Canada, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone]
2263, E-mail: [email protected]
ThPeG8379 Young Sri lankan soldiers became vulnerable for
STD HIV/AIDS dur to North-East war of Sri Lanka
P. Sella Hennadiqe. Institute for Development of Community Strengths, 46, Pipe
Line Road, Koswatta, Battramulla, Sri Lanka
Issues: Commercial sex workers migrated to the cities where soldiers gather
before leaving to their home towns. Soldiers return from war frontier with their
collected allowances. Therefore, the soldiers became vulnerable.
Tamil refugees who were in south Indian refugee camps migrated to their villages
in North & East. There is a tendency of getting HIV infected because Tamil Nadu
is one of the worst areas in terms of HIV epidemic. Again the soldiers became
vulnerable.
Descriptions: Institute for Development of Community Strengths conducted 20
educational programmes for armed forces in southern camps of Sri Lanka. For
each programme, only about 30-35 newly recruited soldiers were taken and covered training on Human reproductive system, sexual behaviour, STD, HIV/AIDS
and condom usage. Pre-test indicated the poor knowledge level. Participatory
training methodology became very popular among the soldiers and improved their
interest. Due to the quality of training the programme became demand oriented.
Senior authorities, showed so much keenness and continuously requesting for
more educational programmes.
Lessons learned:
- Lack of knowledge on STD, HIV/AIDS among the young soldiers
- High interest of learning, subject matter through participatory training methodology
- Migration of sex-workers to the border cities as to cater to the soldiers.

- Difficulty in finding sponsors for training programmes
- Positive assitance from the senior army authorities in organizing programmes.
Recommendations:
- Sex education programmes to be planned for armed forces through their respective training curricular. It should be a part of their own training.
- Effective educational programmes to be designed and conducted for commercial sex workers operating in the area