|
Red
Ribbon Express Project
Maharashtra
State.
Red
Ribbon Express is a National Campaign to mainstream the issue
of HIV/AIDS through a train that will traverse over 9000 kms
during the year, covering about 180 districts/halt stations
and hold programmes and activities in 43,200 villages. The
concept is a broad based multi-media, multi – sectoral mass
mobilization project in the country to make it a holistic and
comprehensive campaign to mobilize people's movement against
HIV/AIDS.
The
prime objective of this project is to disseminate information
regarding primary prevention services, develop an
understanding about the disease to reduce stigma &
discrimination against PLHA & strengthening of people's
knowledge about the measures to be taken to prevent getting
HIV/AIDS besides adopting preventive health habits and
lifestyle.
1.
Concept and background details
The
Red Ribbon Express (RRE) Project, conceptualized by Rajiv
Gandhi Foundation, is being implemented by NACO as a multi-sectoral
project to spread awareness on HIV/AIDS and promote safe
behavioral practices. It is a National Campaign to mainstream
the issue of HIV/AIDS through a train that will traverse over
9000 kms during the year, covering about 180 districts/halt
stations and hold programmes and activities in 43,200
villages. The concept is a broad based multi- media, multi-sectoral
mass mobilization project in the country to make it a holistic
and comprehensive campaign to mobilize people's movement
against HIV/AIDS. The vision behind the project is to promote
a multi-sectoral effort by which HIV/AIDS could be
mainstreamed within the context of overall socio-economic
development rather than merely as a medical/public health
issue. The RRE is expected to be flagged off on a yearlong
journey by Hon 'ble Prime Minister of India on 1st
December 2007 (World AIDS Day) from Delhi.
2.
(a) Objectives of RRE
The
project with primarily focus on rural areas aimed at:
•
disseminating information regarding primary prevention
services;
•
developing an Understanding about the disease to reduce stigma
& discrimination
against People Living with HIV/AIDS and,
•
strengthening people's knowledge about the measures to be
taken to prevent getting
HIV/AIDS; and
•
Adopting preventive health habits and lifestyle.
(b).
Project target group
General
population with focus on youth groups, women self help group
members, adolescents/student community from schools &
colleges, PRI members, youth in uniformed services and out of
school/non-student youth in the community.
3.
Train Coach Details
The
Red Ribbon Express will consist of seven coaches as follows:
1.
Coach I. Exhibition:
It will have display of educational material, primarily
on HIV/AIDS, interactive touch screens and 3-D models.
2.
Coach II. Exhibition: It will have display of
educational material with focus on HIV/AIDS linked to NRHM
programmes, such as PPTCT services in the context of RCH II,
HIV-TB co-infection etc.
3.
Coach III. Exhibition: It will have display of
educational material with focus on HIV within the
socio-developmental context (inter-sectoral/ mainstreaming
approach)
4.
Coach IV.
Auditorium cum
Conference: It
will have
arrangements for orientation/ sensitization of selected groups such as
PRIs, AWWs, SHGs, youth and women. A group of 48 people can be
oriented in one batch with three sessions planned per day. It
will have LCD projector and platform for folk performances.
5.
Coach- V. Counseling
cum Medical
Services: It
will have
six cabins-
4 counseling cabins and two doctor's cabins for providing
counseling and syndromic treatment for STI and RTI cases.
There will be no HIV testing facility on board. However,
provisions for referral services to the nearby ICTC and other
care & support services on HIV/AIDS will be ensured.
6.
Coach VI. Sleeper coach: In this. coach 50
performer's team from NYKS will be traveling.
7.
Coach VII. Office, Dinning cum pantry
The
main objective of RRE is to generate an understanding of
HIV/AIDS related issues and very rapidly ensure wide
dissemination of messages on HIV prevention and means of
protecting oneself from getting this infection.
To
therefore, create the necessary atmosphere and enabling
environment, the RRE needs to be supplemented with other
activities as briefly described below:
1.
Pre-arrival communication activities: 3 days
prior to arrival of train publicity
for
mobilizing people to be launched in Radio, TV and Newspaper
etc.
2.
On Platform activities
will include
a)
welcome ceremony,
b)
exhibition on the platform and;
c)
cultural performances on the platforms till the departure of
the train
3.
Outreach activities will primarily include:
a)
Cycle Caravan: Performances by cultural troupes traveling in
the train.
These
performer's using cycles will disperse in six groups to the
selected villages in the districts, during the halt of the
train at the station 'and
undertake performances
to disseminate
the
HIV prevention
messages.
Each
group is scheduled to do 4 performances per day i.e. a total
of 6 X 4= 24 performances per day.
The
groups will return to the coach in the evening in the event of
the halt being for one day. In other cases the performer's
will stay in the villages and complete their scheduled
activities as per route map finalized and return few hours
before the train departure.
b)
Bus caravan, will travel to the periphery of the
district covering 3-4 villages per day as per the route map.
4.
In-train activities: display of exhibitions,
Audio-Visuals, auditorium facility for training and counseling
and medical services.
|
