Click More...

Family Planning Association of India is another agency which has been supporting CRS health care programme. Through government of India, FPAI supported out reproductive child health project specially for adolescent girls. The project also was involved in prenatal and postnatal care.

CRS and Health Care

            Health care of the coastal community is a priority programme for Chevaliar Roche Society we are involved in a number of preventive care and curative programmes. A number of agencies such as state health department, social welfare boards of the central government, world bank, tamil nadu voluntary Health association, international alliance-londan, Tamil nadu state aids control society, are supporting us in our modest efforts.  Some of the projects we undertake are:

PWDS-Alliance, Community based HIV/AIDS care and support project

            Community based HIV/AIDS care and support project 2001-2010.  We have been involved in AIDS awareness and support project since 1990.  In one of our visit to Thambaram village, we saw a dead body and non one come forward to burry  it.  On enquiry, we were told the persons was HIV positive.  This incident motivated us to work among the HIV/AIDS patients.  With the assistance of palmyrah workers development society, and alliance international, we evolved a programme for concientization of the communities.  The project involved a) Participatory Community Assessemtn, b) Psycho-social Support, c) Regular visit by staff and Home care guides d) free diagnosis and clinical services, e) providing access to antiretroviral virus therapy, f) nutritional support g) formation and strengthening of positive network, h) educational support, i)integration in SHG s j) development of a resource directory.

            Initially we faced several problems as the very mention that the persons is HIV positive would attract large crowd and make it impossible for the doctor to attend him/her.  So we adopted a card system which would make the doctor aware about the patient without alarming others.  Slowly community centred medical camps were organized which helped diagnosis and treatment. In the beginning ART was available only in Chennai.  So our staff took patients there.  Later on a centre was opened at Tirunelveli and now establishment of centres at the district level made it possible for people to access ART.  Although there was stiff resistance, with our constant intervention people living with HIV /AIDS are also integrated in the SHGs prompted by us.  Income generation activities and training in entrepreneurship development programmes are organized.  Positive networks are created and a federation of them known “Thoothukudi positive network federation” is established to verse the work of local PNs.  A number of PLHA were provided support in income generation programmes such as petty shops, STD booth, tailoring machine, wet grinders with the support of TNVHA, fans club SHGs etc.  Kamalakasan Fans club announced to provide insurance support to 1000 PLHA at an annual premium of Rs.1500.  With the support of ABBOT  we provide educational assistance to 526 children.  We also developed a resource directory named “Vazhikatti” to be distributed to all PLHA/CLHA families.  The directory provide details of health facilities, contacts in case of emergency, programmes of the Government and private agencies.

MSM HIV/AIDS Intervention Project

            MSM intervention project started in 2008 with financial assistance from Health Department of Tamil Nadu Government.  The project targeted to identify 600 MSM and with the support of 10 peer educators and 5 staff we have so far identified 589 people.  We have identified 55 hotspots where we organize regular meetings and educatinment programmes.  We have also setup 2 drop in centres at Paramakudi and Muthukulathur where counseling is provided.   So far 323 MSM have been tested for HIV and ICTC.  386 are tested for STI.  Master Health Cards are issued to 129 beneficiaries so that they can undergo regular physical checkup and labouratory tests.  We have been able to identify 9 HIV + cases and through counseling prevent them from further infecting other people.  We are in the process of creating SHGs of MSM  and already 2 are set up.

Tamilnadu Health System Project

            CRS has been selected by the Joint Director of Health Service in implemented this World Bank aided project of Tamilnadu government.  The project involves a)Patient Counselling Centre b) Ambulance Service and c) Mortuary Van Service.

STI/HIV/AIDS intervention among industrial Workers in Thoothukudi: Thoothukudi is one of the largest industrial cities in TamilNadu having important industries such as SPIC, Sterlite, Thermal Plant, Port Trust and recently Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project. in addition, unorganized industris such as fishery, salt pans and food processing units have also emerged in large numbers. In order to prevent transmission of HIV/AIDS, CRS has been implementing STI/HIV/AIDS intervention programme among indeustrial workers for the pasy 7 yerars. This programme is being implemented by CRS with the financial and technical support of TamilNadu State AIDS Conrol Society, Chennai. Following are the important targets achieved in this project: