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How We Achieve HIV/AIDS Prevention Through the Intergration of the CAG model with the Home Based Care Team
CHEC has been working for over six years within three Operational Districts (ODs) of Sa Ang, Kampong Tralach and Preah Sdach, and nearly three years within two ODs of Chhouk and Srey Santhor to educate and train village leaders, community health centre staff, and village health volunteers, in partnership with ODs and Provincial Health Departments. Prior to the training, a baseline survey was conducted in each OD as a basis for evaluation of services required.
In each OD an initial four-day Community Education Approaches training course was held. Training 200 people, in 10 groups of 20, the course detailed basic HIV/AIDS information and ways to educate villagers in the community. The 200 participants were chosen through their existing links with village health centers. They included village leaders, village volunteers, health centre staff, health centre management committees, traditional birthing attendants, traditional healers and fgeneral community members and service users.
CHEC training uses a cascade theory of training delivery and utilizes participatory and interactive techniques. From each OD's participants, sixty were selected to attend the further Community Management Training courses. Twenty health centres and the OD staff were selected to attend the training courses on Professional Counseling.
CHEC also provide training on TB/HIV and ARV to the selected Community Action Groups (CAG) so as to ensure that community members are provided with access to education services in a variety of settings. both formal and informal. Some such places of contact for education are events like ceremonies, religious gathering, NGO meetings and simple informal conversations within the village. The CAG coordinate their counseling, referrals and education with local VCCT, health centre and referral hospitals.
With the establishment of an enabling environment, together with improved knowledge and provision of information from CAG members and health centre staff, the community has been motivated to seek appropriate testing and treatment from VCCT and OI/ARV sites. In addition, the home-based care programs in the communities have improved the quality and accessibility of care for PLHIV.
The programs contribute to the reduction of HIV/AIDS in Cambodia through long term advocacy and community mobilization. The key approach is to assist the community to link their efforts to reduce stigma and discrimination against PLHIV, and in the provision of counseling, care and support.
CHEC is the leading advocate for community action against HIV/AIDS, bringing together health center’s staff and community personnel to work together and to engage the other groups to minimize the impact of HIV/AIDS. It leads, strengthens and supports an expanded response to the epidemic that will prevent the spread of HIV; provide care and support for those infected and affected by the disease; reduce the vulnerability of individuals and
communities to HIV/AIDS; and alleviate the impact of the epidemic.
CHEC has been implementing the Home-Based Care project in cooperation with community health center staff, community personnel and PLHIV in the target project areas in three districts of Sa Ang in Kandal, Kampong Tralach in Kampong Chhnang, and Preah Sdach in Prey Veng.
With support from the World Food Program starting from October 2006, each PLHIV household registered within the CHEC Home-Based Care (HBC) program received nutritional support such as rice, vegetable oil and salt. The agreement between CHEC, the World Food Program and NCHADS has been extended throughout the year 2007. In addition, the PLHIV and their carers were supported in referrals to treatment services and to VCCT for HIV and TB testing.
Through the HBC project, PLHIV were empowered in the community, so that they were not looked down on as a result of stigma and discrimination associated with this disease.
Eighteen Self Help Groups of PLHIV have so far been set up, and they have regular monthly meetings at the health centre in each district.
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CHEC HBC teams' members in Sa Ang together with CHEC Director and PACT staff
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