Kerala AIDS e Forum: August 2012

Monday, August 27, 2012

For awareness, KSACS turns to social media (ToI)

For awareness, KSACS turns to social media

M K Sunil Kumar, TNN Jul 2, 2012, 04.15AM IST

KOCHI: In its efforts to spread awareness against AIDS, the Kerala State AIDS Control Society (KSACS) is planning to take the message on to social networking sites. KSACS has invited firms to design pages to suit social networking sites which will act as a platform for creating awareness about the health issue as well as to share suggestions to reach out to new target groups.

Earlier KSACS was focusing on sex workers, long-distance truck drivers, homosexuals and drug addicts. Now there is shift in target groups. "With those from upper strata of the society becoming new target groups, we have to change the mode of our awareness campaigns. Social networking sites will be a better platform to interact with the new target groups as most of them are active on such sites," said Dr Nitha, joint director, blood safety, KSACS.

KSACS wants to focus on safe methods of sexual intercourse. "Many house boat operators in the state have a list of 20 to 40 women who are willing to offer their 'services'. These women are available at a phone call and are paid well," sources in the tourism sector told TOI.

KSACS is, however, finding it difficult to reach these target groups. There are also plans to seek the support from other departments, including tourism, police, education and social welfare.

KSACS has plans to use voluntary blood donors to fight against AIDS. "We are trying to promote voluntary blood donation on a large-scale,"Vijayan said. Organizations such fans associations of actors also will be involved in the blood donation drive.

http://bit.ly/NVHykT

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[KeralaAIDS] Update: AIDS 2012

Note: Details of three Kerala related abstracts from the International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012) at Washington DC, USA is given below. If you know of more Kerala related work at AIDS 2012, please update. You can see webcast of some of the sessions at - http://globalhealth.kff.org/AIDS2012/

Development of computer assisted self assessment tool on adult sexual behaviour: CARB-ICMR study, Kerala, India

S.K. Harikumar, Study with Adult Population in Trivandrum, Ernakulam and Kottayam Districts

Centre for Advanced Reserach in Health and Human Behavior (CARB), Trivandrum, India

http://pag.aids2012.org/abstracts.aspx?aid=11018

Peer led project management increases outreach and uptake of preventive services among most at-risk populations (MARPs) in Kerala, India

V. Ravi¹, M. Prasannakumar¹, D. Joseph², R. Das¹, B. Savy¹, B. George¹

¹Technical Support Unit for Kerala State AIDS Control Society, Trivandrum, India, ²Kerala State AIDS Control Society, Health and Family Welfare, Trivandrum, India

http://pag.aids2012.org/abstracts.aspx?aid=14184

Polling Booth Survey reveals hidden sexual risk behaviour of female sex workers in Kerala, India

V. Ravi¹, M. Prasannakumar¹, D. Joseph², K. Sudheer¹

¹Technical Support Unit for Kerala State AIDS Control Society, Trivandrum, India, ²Kerala State AIDS Control Society, Health and Family Welfare, Trivandrum, India

http://pag.aids2012.org/abstracts.aspx?aid=11373