HIV/AIDS PREVENTION

COMMUNITY MOBILISATION FOR BEHAVIOURAL CHANGE

ARFH, in collaboration with the Oyo State Action Committee on AIDS (Oyo SACA) and with support from the World Bank, adopted the Community Mobilisation for Behavioural Change approach to address HIV/AIDS control in Igbo-Ora. The project titled “Promoting Behavioural Change through Effective Community Mobilisation and participation for HIV/AIDS Control in Igbo-Ora,” targeted market men, women and youth peer educators. Strategies employed included advocacy, peer education, capacity building and mainstreaming VCT and STI management as well as referral to private health facilities. Other strategies included IEC/BCC and community mobilisation.

The transformation of ARFH into a viable and innovative national NGO is the result of the involvement of its founders complemented by skilled and dedicated staff in community-based reproductive health and family planning activities.

Dr. A.M. Adeniran of Hamrah Peace Hospital Igbo-Ora receiving STI Drugs and HIV testing kits from ARFH representatives.

By six months of the project, a total of 428 people had been reached with STI and HIV prevention education, 567 provided with male condom, and 936 were reached with IEC materials. At the private health facility level, 51 cases were treated for STI, 157 had counselling and testing service, 264 clients received male condom and 323 received project IEC materials.

In 2006, post-evaluation finding suggest a significant increase in HIV/AIDS awareness, positive behavioural change with respect to practice of risky behaviour and improvement in the negotiation skills of the project community members. Also, there was an overwhelming support of the project by the traditional leaders.

2.2 REACHING TRANSIENT POPULATION OF BORDER AREA THROUGH AUDIO BCC MESSAGES

Migration activities across border towns have been established as one of the factors fuelling HIV spread due to evidences of risky sexual practices by the migrants and residents of the border towns. With support from the World Bank, ARFH collaborated with the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Organisation (ALCO) to implement a project aimed at addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic in and around Nigerian end of Seme Border in 2006. The well packaged and executed project, targeted uniformed men, sex workers, drivers and community members with attention to the specific needs of each target group considering the transient nature of the project target population.

Outreach activities at the Seme Border, Badagry Lagos state.

The uniqueness of the project lies in the various approaches adopted in reaching out and communicating HIV/AIDS information to the highly mobile target project community. One of the approaches was the development of 15-minute audio messages on HIV/AIDS in English, Yoruba and French languages. The project provided a public address system, cassette player, sound mixer and installed the gadgets outside the ECOWAS Building on July 18, 2006 .

A committee was set up within the border region, comprising staff of the various departments of the transport sector, and charged with the responsibility of playing back the audio massage on the gadget provided, at not less than three times a day, to the migrant population and the rest of the community members. The gadgets and the audio tape containing the message were put in the custody of the Chairman of the Border Committee.

Border Committee members, ARFH staff and other stakeholders at the official launching of the HIV/AIDS Audio-Messaging System

Anecdotal evidences gathered during project post-implementation evaluation showed that not less than 20, 000 mobile and regular audiences have been reached with the HIV/AIDS audio messages. The evaluation findings also showed significant HIV/AIDS knowledge increase, adoption of positive /HIV prevention behaviour and improved sexual negotiation.

HIV/AIDS Prevention and Impact Mitigation in the Workplace: The Shell Company in Nigeria (SCiN) Model

In recognition of the fact that HIV/AIDS impacts negatively on the corporate image and output of an organisation, ARFH also targeted the Shell workplace sector, supported by Shell Company in Nigeria , for the benefit of Shell staff. To increase HIV/AIDS knowledge, foster behavioural change and promote VCT among Shell company staff, ARFH signed an agreement with Shell Company in Nigeria (SCiN) in October 2006. The strategies employed on the project include baseline survey of workplace HIV/AIDS policy, programme launch, outstanding capacity building activities, peer education, IEC/BCC, VCT and ARV service provision.

A baseline survey conducted among the SCiN staff ( Lagos office) revealed a dire need for the programme. The project was officially flagged off with a Family Funfare which coincided with the 2006 World AIDS Day. Turnout was impressive, with about 400 participants (staff and their families). The activity highlighted the effects of HIV infection on the carriers, their jobs, families and their employers. The prevention, care and support mechanisms were also discussed, while an HIV testing and counseling clinic was stationed at the venue of the programme.

Managing Director, Shell Nigeria Oil Products, Mrs Tinuola Feyisitan, in a chat with ARFH’s President/CEO, Prof O.A. Ladipo during the Family Funfare.

To educate the family members to get tested so as to know their HIV status, health talks and counselling services were provided by ARFH staff. The Youth Rescue Club of ARFH used drama to enter-educate the family members to reinforce the various talks.