VOLUME 2 – ISSUE 001/05                                                                      January – March 2005

 

 

 

IS IT IMPORTANT TO MAINSTREAM HIV/AIDS IN ALL PROGRAMS?

 

 

Caritas Tanzania WID/GAD and Children office continues to operationalize various strategies that are geared towards strengthening both conceptual and analytical capacity of the Diocesan WID/GAD Coordinators in addressing gender and women specific issues. In addition, the section also is a central player as a provider of cutting edge gender and other development issues at both National and diocesan levels. It does this through the guidance of participation and social transformation principles.

HIV/AIDS issues are complex. To make the community understand, take appropriate action and bring a difference, joint efforts are needed. Caritas Tanzania at various levels is contributing to the war against HIV/AIDS through its work of integral human development, relief work and advocacy for human rights.  However, despite such commendable efforts taken by the Church, still this epidemic disease is increasing due to social, cultural  economic and gender dimensions.  Clergies have been playing a big role in the campaign including counseling, training through organizing seminars to the youths, women and various groups but still with limited knowledge on the facts of the science of HIV/AIDS pandemic.

It is in this view the WID/GAD section under Caritas Tanzania put a deliberate action to mainstream HIV/AIDS in all her programs. To begin with the section is coordinating a project on HIV/AIDS awareness creation to the Clergies. In implementing the project series of training workshops were held in May and June 2004 in the following Arch/dioceses: Mwanza, Tabora and Rulenge. In addition a training workshop was held to the Priests and Seminarians of Kipalapala Seminary from 2nd to 5th November 2005.

The Seminar objectives were as follows: To Increase the knowledge of Priests and Seminarians on HIV/AIDS and its impact to the Community; To enhance more integration of the Church activities in the campaign against HIV/AIDS and to promote more socio-pastoral interventions to the community towards the campaign against HIV/AIDS.

The seminar contents are as follows:

1.  Science of HIV/AIDS

History of HIV/AIDS and nature of the virus

Transmission and Prevention of HIV

Mechanism of HIV infection/signs and symptom

HIV/AIDS testing and result interpretation

Drug therapy in HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS in Children – MTCT

2.  Epidemiology of HIV/AIDS world wide, Africa and Tanzania

3.  Social and Cultural factors associated with transmission of HIV/AIDS and the impact

4.  Stigma and counseling

5.  HIV/AIDS Theology

For professional and technical inputs on the above mentioned contents the following are the resource persons: Dr.Sospatra Ngalaba and Dr. Johannes Kataraihya both from Bugando Medical Centre and Rev. Fr. Edgar Mbegu – TEC particularly on the theology of HIV/AIDS.

In May 2005, the section has planned to organize a training workshop to all Diocesan WID/GAD Coordinators to learn on systematic way of mainstreaming HIV/AIDS in their programs. The workshop will be facilitated jointly with HIV/AIDS Consultant in Misereor and the National WID/GAD Coordinator.

 

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