Community based strategic plan to curb

spread of HIV/AIDS
Anirudha Alam

Curbing the spread of HIV/AIDS is a human rights issue. A commitment to solidarity,

hope and compassion promotes comprehensive campaign as for HIV/AIDS prevention. It
may result in a holistic effort to strengthen community based network through advocacy,
capacity building and behavioral change communication (BCC). Having no minimal
amenities, community people are led to vulnerabilities to HIV/AIDS enormously. They
are mostly disadvantaged due to having no access to basic rights. If there is any
community based common plan in support of the local response to HIV epidemic the
reasons of vulnerability may be removed gradually and effectively.

Community based strategic plan to address HIV/AIDS should be outlined to prevent

escalation of epidemic through action research in ways that recognize human rights and
self-respect. In this aspect, it is greatly essential to organize social mobilization and
accelerate support form local stakeholders and development partners involved in the
community based response to HIV. There is no doubt that community based approach is
a fundamental mechanism to stimulate the local contribution to deal with HIV/AIDS. To
gather maximum support for community based efforts on HIV/AIDS, at first programs
have to emphasize on coming in close contact with the local people. This is the effective
means to be familiar with the values and perception of local people. Then they will be
made to understand and perform the desired responsibility in response to HIV/AIDS.

Community based strategic plan encompassing local expertise and constructive

commitment should be initiated to subvert the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the light of
national HIV policy framework and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It would
allow a profound and greater understanding of the nature of epidemic, its spread and
eventuality.

According to UNAIDS estimates, over half of new HIV infections are occurring among
young people (15-24 years) – or over 7,000 new infections a day worldwide. Around
95% of people with HIV/AIDS live in the communities of developing countries.
Nowadays HIV is a common threat to men, women and children in all communities
throughout the world. The challenges in responding to HIV/AIDS may vary enormously
from community to community owing to geographical location, livelihood status, social
infrastructure and so on. Cross border movement, women trafficking, neighboring to
high prevalent communities, gaps in health care delivery, low levels of HIV/AIDS
awareness and sexual bondage because of poverty make the communities vulnerable
affecting public health systems. To combat this vulnerability with regard to HIV/AIDS,
there is no single solution. But integrated community approach may play an influential

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role to protect from sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This is why adopting a gender
sensitive and human rights based approach, community oriented strategic plan will be
well-equipped and groomed with a wide range of local stakeholders’ support and
participation to address HIV/AIDS. Side by side community people will be efficient to
discuss and develop norms, values and practice as to safe sexual behavior.

Community focused strategic plan for HIV/AIDS has to be based on the reality of the
epidemic engendered from thorough case studies. The prevalence of HIV may remain
low in communities. But there are some considerable factors that can play vital role to
fuel its rapid spread extensively. As per the findings of the survey on ‘Reasons of
Vulnerability to HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh’ recently conducted by Bangladesh Extension
Education Services (BEES), ‘Polygamy, dowry, gender violence & discrimination,
believes in superstitions as well as lack of safe health practice are kindling the spread of
HIV/AIDS drastically in rural areas. If the awareness is not shaped fruitfully community
wise in integrated way, all of the programs to undermine the spread of HIV/AIDS will
fail.’ HIV/AIDS prevalence was low for many years in Indonesia even with lots of risky
behavior. But in the past two or three years, the circumstances have been changed. At
present, HIV/AIDS prevalence is growing severely in several communities of the
country.

At last we may infer that any kind of community based strategic plan should be
comprehensive, consistent, coordinated, constructive, consequence oriented and above all
committed to community exclusively. Capitalizing on these key characteristics indicated
by six C’s, it will be possible to attain a high watermark of success to combat
skyrocketing vulnerability to HIV/AIDS.

Anirudha Alam
Deputy Director (Information & Development Communication) & Trainer
BEES (Bangladesh Extension Education Services)
183, Lane 2, Eastern Road, New DOHS
Mohakhali, Dhaka 1206
Bangladesh.
Website: http://www.bees-bd.org
Phone: 01718342876, 9889732, 9889733 (office), 8050514 (res.)
E-mail: anirudhaalam@yahoo.com

Ref: UNAIDS, UNESCO, UNISEF

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