The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : ‘Positive’ initiative

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 19, 2007
ePaper

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

‘Positive’ initiative

Staff Reporter

NGO of Anakapalle launches health project

Commercial sex workers involved
Training being given in other trades

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Sarada Valley Development Samithi (SVDS) of Anakapalle has launched ‘Swagathi Health Project’ with the involvement of Commercial Sex Workers (CSWs) to safeguard them from contracting life-threatening diseases and spreading it across in the community.

An association of CSWs – Sneha Sandhya – was formed in 2005 with the objective of educating the target groups through their peers.

“In the past, we (CSWs) never had access to medical aid and had to put up with various health problems. Now, health check-up camps are being conducted regularly. We are educating newcomers on safeguarding their health through condom usage and, thereby, preventing the spread of HIV,” Kumari, a community guide, told newsmen on Tuesday. Health check-ups were conducted for all members at the Swagathi Clinic and medicines were given to them free of cost. They were also referred to various hospitals in the city for treatment. Training was given to the members in various trades in a bid to wean them away from the trade. SVDS project director K. Jogi Naidu said that 1,875 CSWs were identified in 32 rural mandals of the district for implementation of the project. Advocacy committees were formed to sensitise the general public, the police and the media on the issue. The SVDS was running eight drop-in centres to train CSWs in various trades. The project, taken up under the leadership of Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust, was jointly funded by the Bill Milinda Gates Foundation and the Avahan Trust.

Legal aid

Legal adviser to the SVDS Katyayani said that the primary objective of the project was to check the spread of HIV. The project gave an opportunity to the organisation to approach the CSWs through their fraternity. She spoke of her efforts to help CSWs through free legal aid.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh