The Church’s Response to the Scaling up of HIV Prevention and Care in Liberia Experience of The Lutheran Church in Liberia HIV AND AIDS PROGRAMME PRESENTED.

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The Churchs Response to the Scaling up of HIV Prevention and Care in Liberia Experience of The Lutheran Church in Liberia HIV AND AIDS PROGRAMME PRESENTED BY STEVEN Z. KORVAH, JR. PROGRAMME OFFICER Slide 2 MAP OF LIBERIA Slide 3 PURPOSE Provide a thorough information on the intervention of the an HIV and AIDS Programme in the Church; Share experiences and lessons learnt from the intervention of the Lutheran Church in Liberia; Slide 4 In 2003: 8.2% (NACP, 2003) In 2007: 5.7% (2006 ANC Sentinel surveillance Report, NACP, 2007) In 2007: 1.5% - 2.5%(Urban) and 0.8%(Rural): LISGIS,2007 PREVALENCE Slide 5 PREVALENCE contd Population of 3.4m; LISGIS 2008 Census Report About 64% poverty rate (live on less than 1USD/day; LISGIS, 2009; Census Report) Slide 6 Goal To contribute to the National AIDS Control Program's goal, which aims to promote a positive change of behaviour and reduce the psychosocial impact of HIV and AIDS on the individual and the society. Slide 7 Sub-goals To mobilize grassroots communities for a holistic communitybased response to HIV and AIDS To prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS through behaviour change especially among young people Slide 8 Sub-goals contd To improve the quality of life of people living with HIV through empowerment and creating an environment of care and support To improve the institutional capacity of the LCL AIDS Programme to deliver on the above objectives Slide 9 Beneficiaries People living with HIV (PLHIV) and their families Orphans Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) Trained Traditional Midwives (TTMs) Zoes (Hard-to-reach grassroots population) Slide 10 Beneficiaries contd Health workers Religious leaders (pastors, evangelists, deacons, imams, etc.) Military and Para-military personnel Teachers and students Out-of-school youths Slide 11 Beneficiaries contd Mobile population (Internally Displaced Persons and Refugees), Faith Based Organizations (FBOs), Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and networks, etc. Slide 12 Activities/Interventions Counselors Training Slide 13 Activities/Interventions contd Establishment of Voluntary Counseling and Testing Centers Meeting of Counselors Slide 14 Activities/Interventions contd Community based Support Group Family Support Group Support Group training Community Outreach Slide 15 Activities/Interventions contd Orphan Support Slide 16 Activities/Interventions contd Training and Community Involvement Students Health & Social Workers Trained Traditional Midwives, Traditional Birth Attendants and Zoes Male Zoes Slide 17 PLHIV Empowerment Income Generation Activity Skill Training Graduate Computer operation Slide 18 Activities/Interventions contd Partnership (WFP, UNHCR, LISGIS Slide 19 Challenges Bad roads condition for travels Slide 20 Relationship between Awareness and Behaviour Change in the Past Knowledge/ Information Behaviour change Attitudes Slide 21 The difficulty lies not in new ideas, but in escaping the old. John M. Keynes Slide 22 Experiences and Lessons Learnt Mobile clinic gives access to HIV counseling and testing to hard to reach or inaccessible communities (i.e. communities lack access to health care services); Slide 23 Experiences and Lessons Learnt contd Condom distribution with proper and adequate information promote behavior change especially amongst young people; thus reducing the occurrence of sexually transmitted infections; Slide 24 Experiences and Lessons Learnt contd Involvement of community residents in HIV & AIDS related activities facilitate universal access for all and ownership. Involvement of PLHIV in all aspects means there is less distinction between those providing the services and the beneficiaries irrespective of their HIV status. This is a gateway to inclusion in the workforce; Slide 25 Experiences and Lessons Learnt contd Empowerment of people living with HIV (PLHIV) with knowledge and skills in financial management and planning before engaging in income generating activities enhances productivity and thus leads to self-reliance and good decision making in emergency situation; Slide 26 THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL Steven Z. Korvah, Jr. LCL HIV & AIDS PROGRAMME-Liberia