The Hindu 11.04.2013
Civic bodies set to take a ‘positive’ initiative
The government has announced guidelines for civic bodies to extend services and assistance to HIV-positive people.
Awareness campaign
Local
bodies will coordinate activities such as organising awareness
campaigns on transmission of HIV, identifying HIV-positive people,
supplying nutritional food to victims, starting programmes to offer
social and mental support to victims, initiating welfare activities,
setting up adequate facilities at treatment centres and giving
assistance to service providers.
As of now the Kerala Aids Control Society and the Health Department have been providing assistance to the HIV victims.
The
guidelines have been prepared by the Kerala Institute of Local
Administration and the Kerala Aids Control Society under the direction
of the government.
P.P. Balan, director of KILA, said training would be provided to local bodies based on the guidelines.
“The
local bodies can play a leading role in organising HIV detection camps,
providing financial assistance to conduct laboratory tests and make
available medicines and homecare facilities, setting up of social
organisations for helping HIV victims and providing educational
assistance for the children of HIV-positive people,” Mr. Balan said.
Civic
bodies also could take the initiative in providing pension,
unemployment wages, assistance under Asraya project, basic amenities
like housing, toilets, electricity and drinking water, employment
training and self-employment opportunities, he said. The guidelines
suggest that local bodies can ensure quality services for HIV victims in
hospitals under their control.
They can also provide infrastructure facilities for safety projects under the Kerala State Aids Control Society.
Monitoring committee
The
guidelines also propose the setting up of a committee with the local
body president as chairperson, health standing committee chairman as
vice-chairman, medical officer as convenor, and two NGOs working in the
field as members, to monitor and coordinate the implementation of
activities. The District Planning committee will monitor the
district-level activities. The district-level activities will be
reviewed by a committee with district planning committee chairman as
head and district collector as convenor.
Government prepares guidelines for civic bodies to extend assistance to HIV-positive people.
