LMU and LACA organised a two day workshop on newest developments of Aquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome AIDS in Etung LGA

The Local Management Unit (LMU) of the MPP9 Etung Pilot Programme organied together with the Etung LG Local Action Committee against HIV-AIDS (LACA) a two day workshop on recent developments of the challenges of HIV AIDS in Etung Local Government Area. The venue was the Local Government Council Hall in Effraya on 15^th and 16^th of February 2012. A realistic assessment of HIV AIDS in Etung shows that warnings on the dangers of HIV-AIDS need to continue. In the past years focus was on awareness raising; that AIDS has also spread among the population in Etung Local Government. Exact statistics for the local government area are however not available. Estimates are based on cooperation with the health centres and the Cross River State Action Committee. They show that about four to five in hundred persons live with the AIDS virus in Etung. To the workshop 80 representatives of community development unions as well as town council members of the ten wards were invited. Because HIV AIDS concerns men and women the same number of women as men had been invited.

In the first part of the workshop information was given on the recent developments of HIV AIDS in Etung, Emphasis was given how the infection spreads. The HIV virus is transmitted through body fluids, blood transfusion of infected blood, sharing of sharp tools, for example blades for hairdressing. The virus cannot survive outside body fluids.  Therefore contacts to persons infected with the virus can take place normally. Touching, hugging, even kissing the persons is not dangerous and helps to integrate them into the community life.

The emphasis of the work against HIV AIDS shifted in the recent years from raising awareness on the dangers and information on prevention towards strategies how to cope with the infection and how to interact with persons having attracted an infection and who have to live with the virus. AIDS is a complex disease which adds to the anxiety how to react when confronted with the reality of the disease either as an infected person or interacting with persons tested “HIV positive”. The recent research on AIDS shows that a person with HIV infection may live a normal life for many years. This may however only be possible if there is no discrimination and stigmatisation. The discrimination against persons infected with HIV is a social problem and discrimination leading to isolation and depression may lead to an early death, whereas integration and participation in community life lets also the infected persons contribute and share. During the workshop LACA co-operators were contacted by persons who had been tested HIV positive. The information provided in the campaigns of LACA and the workshop organised in cooperation with MPP9 Pilot Programme has given them self consciousness and courage to integrate in their families and communities.

There was already a broad knowledge among the participants about prevention methods. The most common is the use of condom. Of special interest was the use of female condom. Most of the participants had heard of it but did not know how it looks like and how it is applied.

In group work the information obtained was discussed for a transfer to the communities. To assist the participants for this opportunity, information material on the lectures were made available. Part of the workshop was also a training to apply test kits. The workshop enabled LACA to build on earlier actions in Etung Local Government Wards to form Ward Action Committees on HIV-AIDS named WACA. The community representatives formed groups for work in their wards and prepared action plans for implementation. The workshop organisers discussed this formation in an evaluation meeting and suggested to follow up how far these action plans could be implemented. As there are several organisations in Cross River State working on AIDS information and prevention it was suggested to interact for follow up.

Workshop on HIV-AIDS in Etung. The picture shows group work for action plans to be applied in the ten wards of Etung LGA. To the right Arid Egbe from the Local Action Committee advising how to formulate plans for meetings on ward level.