Introduction
SAMASTHA-AP is a Community Based Care and Support Project being implemented in 5 coastal districts (Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam, and East & West Godavari) of Andhra Pradesh, India with support from KHPT/ USAID. LEPRA is working with 6 partner organizations in these 5 Coastal districts. The key role of LEPRA is to provide Technical & Managerial assistance to the implementing partners and to implement a direct intervention.
Areas of Operations
The project is being implemented in 10 mandals from the selected five coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, namely - East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam districts.
Samastha - AP Project interventions
Goal
Samastha AP project aims at developing a comprehensive program that provides HIV & AIDS positive prevention, Care, Support and Treatment to infected & affected populations in the selected areas.
Objectives
1. Community-based care, support and treatment
• Increase access to and use of HIV-related community services for adult men and women in the rural areas of selected districts.
• Increase access to and use of HIV-related outpatient clinical care by men and women in rural areas.
• Increase access to and use of HIV treatment, including ART for men and women living in rural areas.
• Increase the coverage of community initiatives and programs that support orphaned and vulnerable children in urban and rural areas.
• Increase the quality of clinical care for HIV, including ART and TB management in the public and private sectors.
2. Capacity building and system strengthening
Activities
• Technical support/ Capacity building to Community Care Centers
• Comprehensive care of HIV/AIDS
• HIV-TB co-infection management
• Mentoring support
• Computerized Management Information Systems (CMIS)
• Community based OVC model
• PPTCT+ model
LEPRAs role
Facilitate Proposal Development for IPs
Technical & Managerial Support to Implementing Partners
Supportive supervision for Project Implementation
Streamlining of project management systems at CCCs and DIC+
Design Outreach strategy for IPs
Capacity assessment of implementing partners
Capacity building of IPs, Positive networks
Networking & Advocacy at the local level
Strengthening linkages with ICTCs/ PPTCT/ ART/ DMC’s
Supply chain management- kits, drugs, IEC material
Financial Monitoring
Place Monitoring & Evaluation systems
Data collection, maintenance and analysis
Impact assessments and evaluations
Supporting Partners
The project is implemented through a collaborative effort of LEPRA Society, member institutions of Catholic Health Association of Andhra Pradesh, RASI (an NGO) and the Telugu Network of Positive People (TNP+); in collaboration with the University of Manitoba and Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT). The project is funded by USAID through KHPT.
Implementing partners
Outreach – Mandal Name |
District |
Organization & location |
Yeleswaram
Tuni (DIC by LEPRA) |
East Godavari |
St. Joseph’s Hospital, Prathipadu |
Pedapadu |
West Godavari |
Damien Leprosy Center, Vegavaram |
Pedana & Manginapudi
Challapally (DIC by LEPRA) |
Krishna |
Assisi Dermatological Center, Konkepudi |
Narsaraopeta, Vinukonda |
Guntur |
St. Xavier's Hospital, Vinukonda |
Korisapadu & Martur
Markapur (DIC by LEPRA) |
Prakasam |
St.Vincent’s Hospital, Medarametla |
Guntur - Rural |
Guntur |
RASI, Guntur |
Summary of Key Achievements ICTC centers
S.No |
Activities |
Planned |
Achieved |
1. |
PLWHA registered in DIC/CCCs |
1850 |
4162 |
2. |
PLWHA who received palliative care |
1625 |
3345 |
3. |
PLWHA who received any non-medical services |
1625 |
890 |
4. |
PLWHA who received medical services |
1420 |
2102 |
5. |
Awareness programmes conducted in selected villages |
54 |
07 |
6. |
Support groups formed and regular meetings |
37 |
82 |
7. |
Women provided small loans |
59 |
67 |
8. |
PLWHA who received consultation/treatment for TB |
00 |
129 |
9. |
No. of PLWHA who received referral services |
00 |
218 |
10. |
PLWHA who received treatment for OIs from CSCs |
1090 |
887 |
11. |
Clients (men, women & children) received ART treatment |
00 |
403 |
12. |
Capacity building to doctors on “Comprehensive management of HIV/AIDS” |
06 |
05 |
13. |
Advocacy meets conducted |
15 |
28 |
14. |
Nutritional Support to OVC |
380 |
867 |
15. |
Educational Support to OVC |
00 |
222 |
S. No |
Activities |
Planned |
Achieved |
1. |
Proposal development workshop |
1 |
1 |
2. |
Project Induction |
1 |
1 |
3. |
Counseling |
1 |
1 |
4. |
Peer Education |
1 |
1 |
5. |
Proposal dev workshop 2 |
1 |
1 |
6. |
Comprehensive Care of HIV/AIDS |
1 |
1 |
7. |
Financial systems |
1 |
1 |
8. |
HIV-TB |
1 |
1 |
9. |
CHBC+HIV-TB+ART |
1 |
1 |
10. |
OVC - 3 trainings |
3 |
3 |
11. |
CMIS |
1 |
1 |
12. |
S&D, Inf. prevention |
6 |
1 |
13. |
CHBC+ART |
1 |
1 |
Future plan
• Supportive supervision visits to the projects to ensure program implementation.
• Installation of CMIS updated versions and follow-up with the IPs
• Organize Experience Sharing and Review meeting for the IPs
• CMIS Training to the DEOs and PCs with the support from KHPT.
• Conduct Training Programs on Infection Prevention & Stigma Reduction at the center level
• Facilitate HIV-TB trainings roll out at the CCCs
• Training on Home Based Care and ART adherence to Peer ORWs
• Preparation and Submission of MPR/ QPR to LEPRA Society and KHPT/USAID
• Strengthening the Referral system in the projects
• Conduct street plays and folk theatres in all intervention sites.
• Strategic planning meet with KHPT team (on development of learning sites)
• Proposal development for the next year (2008-09)
Case Studies
1. Education Support to children. There are people who care for me- Abraham
10 year old Abraham, only child to his parents, lost them while none came forward to take care of him. Samastha came forward and got him admitted in a government school. The child couldn’t concentrate on his studies and was recollecting the moments spent with his parents. Through counseling the child is now performing well in his studies, and visits St. Xavier’s Hospital during vacations and spends time with children at CCC.
2. Livelihood Options to HIV infected and affected- ‘Now I am self reliant’ says Munni
Ms. Munni, a 24 year old young widow from Guntur district lost her husband to AIDS, and lives with her two daughters. After his death she took up all the household responsibilities and became the bread winner. None came forward to help her financially. She was offered psychological counseling, but then that did not help her, and she urged counselors for help. The project supported her with a micro loan scheme; soon after which she started small businesses in her village. She is now self reliant and earns Rs. 2,500/- per month. She says she is grateful to the Samastha project.
