AFEW Projects  

CLIENT MANAGEMENT

Duration:
January 2005 – December 2007

Donors:
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Theme-based Co-financing (TMF)

Partners:
Governmental structures, including local AIDS centres, drug treatment clinics, STI clinics and tuberculosis clinics;
Local non-governmental organisations, including The Kazakhstan Union of PLWHA, Alternativa (Kazakhstan); Ayan Delta, Ranar, Tais plus (Kyrgyzstan); Madad (Uzbekistan); Dina, Buzurg (Tajikistan).

Countries / regions:
Kazakhstan – Almaty and Almaty region
Kyrgyzstan – Bishkek and Chui region
Tajikistan – Sougd region
Uzbekistan – Navoi region

Background:

The HIV/AIDS epidemic is developing along ‘typical’ lines in Central Asia: those at highest risk of infection are the so-called vulnerable social groups that engage in high-risk behaviour, such as injecting drug users, prisoners and sex workers. This stage of the epidemic is typically followed by an increase in the number of infections among broad sections of society through sexual contact.

The Client Management Project aims to improve the ability of national healthcare systems to work with drug users, prisoners and sex workers. It is essential to slow the spread of HIV among these groups in order to prevent a full-scale epidemic among society as a whole.

The project will select one region in each country, in co-ordination with representatives of national governments, where it will support the development of an integrated network system for the prevention of HIV among vulnerable social groups – a system of medical and social care.

This system will be based on:

• A partnership between various medical and social organisations, including non-profit and non-governmental associations, in order to ensure continuity of work with patients / clients;

• A concerted effort to take into account the possibilities and needs of patients / clients so that they become more motivated to co-operate with specialists.

The main outcome of the project will be the development of approved and accurately described region-specific models of integrated co-operation between medical and social organisations fighting the spread of HIV among vulnerable social groups, with the ultimate aim of preventing a full-scale epidemic in society as a whole.

Overall goal:

To improve the ability of national healthcare systems to work with drug users, prisoners and sex workers.

Main specific objectives:

• To create the necessary conditions in each region for effective co-operation on developing a joint strategy to fight the spread of the HIV epidemic.

• To develop an effective model for a system to prevent HIV among vulnerable social groups, based on the experience of participating state institutions and non-governmental organisations in each of the pilot regions, and to create the necessary conditions to promote this model at the national level in each of the participating countries.

• To increase awareness and knowledge about HIV/AIDS among target groups in order to promote positive behavioural changes, reduce vulnerability to infection and enhance the use of psychosocial support services.

• To establish a regional network of NGOs and governmental institutions, providing HIV/AIDS prevention, harm reduction and psychosocial support services to vulnerable groups.

• To institutionalise HIV/AIDS prevention and health promotion curricula for prison settings by the Ministry of Justice’s education system in the four participating countries.