India: focused prevention
The Alliance has been implementing a major HIV prevention programme in the Rayalaseema and Telangana regions of Andhra Pradesh through the Frontiers Prevention Project and the Avahan India AIDS Initiative.
The programme is the largest initiative of its type across the Alliance, and reached more than 75,000 people in 2007.
Now covering 143 sites through 36 implementing non-governmental partners, the programme has been successful in not only scaling up its services to reach marginalised groups, but also in proactively involving community groups in programme design, monitoring and advocacy.
Over 312 outreach workers have been trained and are now involved in outreach work and service delivery. Over 62 doctors, 59 auxiliary nurses and midwives, 54 counsellors and 37 clinic administrators have been recruited and trained to set up 64 static Mythri sexually transmitted infection clinics and 29 mobile clinics – which provide sexual health counselling services alongside the diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections.
A further outcome of the Alliance’s community-led approach has been the formulation of over 60 community-based advocacy organisations by key populations, with support from the Alliance.
The Frontiers Prevention Project, a multi-country prevention-focused initiative aiming to slow the spread of HIV and build up effective and sustainable community responses, was started by the Alliance in 2002. It ended in December 2007. Avahan Phase I ends in December 2008, and preparations are underway for the design of Avahan II.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have supported both the Frontiers Prevention Project and the Avahan Initiative in partnership with the Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society (APSACS).
