Targeted Intervention Project: High Risk Groups

TI FSW Project

PEJKS has been implementing Targeted Intervention Program with the aim to provide prevention in the operational areas. This program also focuses on improving sexual and reproductive health among the target groups.

For HIV/AIDS prevention program purpose, it would be useful to divide the entire population of a country into groups of people who practice high risk behavior and those who practice low risk behaviors. The risk behaviors could be unprotected multi-partner sexual intercourse and injection drug use without sterile precautions. In this scenario, HIV infection would travel faster and wider in populations that practice high risk behaviors. Hence in the interest of overall control of HIV epidemic, it is necessary to intervene as early as possible. This is done by initiating and supporting Targeted Interventions which could lessen the spread within high-risk groups and thereby in the general population.

It is estimated that more than 90% of HIV transmission in India is related to unprotected sexual intercourse and sharing of injecting equipment between an infected and uninfected individual. Not everyone in the population has the same risk of acquiring or transmitting HIV. Much of the HIV transmission in India occurs within groups or networks of individuals who have higher levels of risk due to a higher number of sexual partners or the sharing of injection drug equipment.

There are three HRGs (High Risk Groups), otherwise referred to as HRGs in order to reduce stigma towards them. These HRGs are;

Female sex workers (FSWs)
High-risk men who have sex with men (MSM)
Transgender (TGs)
Injecting Drug Users (IDUs)

During the year, health camps and regular check-ups were undertaken on regular basis to provide health services and identify new cases.

Regular counseling sessions with HRGs and their family members were organized in the operational areas. Qualified counselor has helped the target groups and provided motivational support through one to one and groups sessions.
Awareness sessions were also carried out at Drop-in-Centre (DIC) through various social and community interaction activity viz. gaming, singing, and dancing etc.
World Aids Day and awareness camps were organized at Operational areas

The details of achievements of the year given below:

World AIDs Day

We celebrated World AIDS Day on 1^st December, 2023 at our operational area to achieve the target of one of the eight goals of United Nations (MDG) i.e., to combat HIV/AIDS from the World by organizing rally with PLHIV, local leaders, district level officials, students, and youth to deliver the message that AIDS is not spread by living with HIV infected. It is spread by Menstrual Blood, Semen/Pre-Semen fluid, Vaginal Secretions, Breast Milk, Unsafe sex (Vaginal, Anal & Oral Sex), Blood Transfusions, Sharing/Exchange of needles & Childbirth not by Saliva, Tears, Sweat, Feces, Urine, Hugging, kissing, Massage, Shaking Hands, Insect Bite, living in same house with someone who has HIV and Sharing Showers or Toilets with someone with HIV.

The activity planned and undergone are as follows: –