PROJECT PARIVARTAN: for the positive people, by the positive people

Project Parivartan - Administrative Structure

This year MDACS saw the launch of Project Parivartan - for the positive people, by the positive people.

Project Parivartan is a redressal cell for HIV & AIDS, but it is a redressal cell with a difference. It is not just a forum to address complaints but to join hands with the system and the clients and create a strong healthy working environment and improve conditions on both sides - the health set up as well as the positive clients.

Background:

HIV infection is not the end of life. People can lead a healthy life for a long time with appropriate medical care. Anti-retroviral therapy (ART) effectively suppresses replication, if taken at the right time. Successful viral suppression restores the immune system and halts onset and progression of disease as well as reduces chances of getting opportunistic infections – this is how ART is aimed to work. Medication thus enhances both quality of life and longevity.

Adherence to ART is Critical

Adherence to ART regimen is therefore very vital in this treatment. Any irregularity in following the prescribed regimen can lead to resistance to HIV drugs, and therefore can weaken or negate its effect.

ART is Accessible to All 

ART is now available free to all those who need it. Public health facilities are mandated to ensure that ART is provided to people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA). Special emphasis is given to the treatment of sero-positive women and infected children.

When is ART Given?

ART is initiated depending upon the stage of infection. PLHA with less than 200 CD4 (white blood cells/ mm3) require treatment irrespective of the clinical stage. For PLHA with 200-350 CD4, ART is offered to symptomatic patients. Among those with CD4 of more than 350, treatment is deferred for asymptomatic persons.  

Where are these ART Centres Located?

In order to make treatment more accessible ART centres are located in medical colleges, district hospitals and non-profit charitable institutions providing care, support and treatment services to PLHA. A PLHA network person at each of the ART centre facilitates access to care and treatment services at these centres. ART centres also provide counselling and follow up on treatment adherence and support through community care centres.

Present Scenario

There is an overload in the ART centres. That’s the reason why they may sometimes find it difficult to address all the clients patiently. But at the same time, the ones who tested positive may feel discriminated with the lack. The objective of Project Parivartan is to solve the problems for both of these groups – ART Centres as well as positive people.

Aims & Objective of creating a Redressal Cell

This is an initiative to establish a friendly atmosphere between the Public Service Provider and the Service Receiver.

Objective:

• Bridging between an ART Centre’s Staff and those PL-HIV who are registered at this Centre
• Educating PL-HIV to access ART and other Services
• Standardizing the quality of life of PL-HIV, by ensuring access to information
• Motivating PL-HIV to access their rights
• Reducing stigma and discrimination through redressal cell and creating friendly atmosphere at ART centre
• Sensitization of those PL-HIV for disclosing their status to their partner/faithful family member
• Involving more and more PL-HIV Volunteers by providing various training to become a part of peers for care and support programme.

Committee Members Formation:

1. 1 Redressal Cell Officer
2. 1 Care Coordinator
3. 1 Medical Officer/Nodal Person
4. 1 Counselor
5. 2 PL-HIV Volunteers
6. 1 NGO person

Responsibility of Members:

• Monitoring Complaint/Suggestion Box once in every 15 days
• Identifying Volunteers for Addressing complaint
• Encouraging and creating a friendly atmosphere at ART Centres and other departments
• Rapport Building with Hospitals’ other departments’ Staff and Officers
• Resolving minor disputes on the spot, bridging between Staff and PL-HIV
• Helping PL-HIV for writing complaint/suggestion if needed
• Maintaining records of complaints
• Weekly/15 days internal meetings
• Internal Meeting Minutes reporting to MDACS
• Helping PL-HIVs in other ways such as – Hospital OPDs; Hospital Admission, other referrals at the hospital and outside. For eg.: NGOs hospices; Educational Trust, Charitable Trust, Orphanages, Government Schemes, Ambulance Services, Medical Aid Centres, etc.
• Attending all meetings and trainings
• Maintaining confidentiality of PL-HIV and not to disclose any records to other departments, outsiders, any media, without the written permission of related person and higher authorities.
• Giving the Saadhan Helpline number to all PL-HIV

ART Centers Redressal Cell Unit

• 1 Redressal Cell Officer for 3 ART centres
• 8 Volunteers for each ART centre
• Working days/hours: Monday to Saturday (days and hours can be altered by MDACS)  10:00 to 1:00 pm (able to give more time of his/her services if needed)

Volunteers Guideline and Responsibility

• All Volunteers will work under the guidance of Redressal Coordinator. He/she will be responsible for ART centre’s coordination.
• PL-HIV Volunteers should be availing services from same registered ART centre.
• All Volunteers’ priority is to help, support PL-HIV and educate them for health seeking behavior and advocacy.
• All volunteers should be neutral while solving any dispute between PL-HIV and ART center related staff.
• Helping ART centre for smooth functioning and friendly atmosphere in Centre’s premises
• Helping PL-HIVs in other ways such as – Hospital OPDs; Hospital Admission, other referrals at the hospital and outside. For eg.: NGOs hospices; Educational Trust, Charitable Trust, Orphanages, Government Schemes, Ambulance Services, Medical Aid Centres, etc.
• Rapport building with registered PL-HIV, Counsellors, H.O.D, other ART staff, other related OPD seniors and (Inward Doctors, Nurses, staff), department of  X-Ray, USG, MRI, all routing testing, Medical Social worker etc..
• Volunteers should follow rules and guidelines of particular ART center, Hospital and MDACS.
• Volunteers should also follow administration guidelines like: Maintaining attendance register, complaint register and account register.
• Volunteers should also look for the timely function of complaint/suggestion box.
• Volunteers should also learn to write weekly/monthly/quarterly/yearly reports.
• Volunteers should also learn to write case history
• Volunteers should be able to empower PL-HIV and affected people by peer counselling, group discussion, providing other related information regarding government schemes.
• It is compulsory for all volunteers to attend all trainings and meetings organized through MDACS related redressal cell.
• Working days/hours: Monday to Saturday (days and hours can be altered by MDACS) 10:00 to 1:00 pm (able to give more time of his/her services if needed)