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PSI/Thailand
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Program
Focus: |
HIV/AIDS |
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Target
Regions: |
Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai provinces, Bangkok
and Pattaya
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Target
Population: |
Injecting drug users (IDUs), commercial sex workers and their
partners, men who have sex with men (MSM), transgenders (TG)
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| 2006 Estimated Health Impact: |
Unintended pregnancies averted: 5,000
(explained)
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Products and services: |
Sisters transgender counseling center and outreach programs
since 2005
O-Zone Bangkok and Chiang Rai counseling centers
and outreach programs since 2005
Yours female condom since 2005
O-Zone Chiang Mai counseling centers since 2003
Number One condom since 2003
Number One water-based lubrication since
2003
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Local
Collaboration: |
Local and national Thai
organizations, including the Center for Communicable Disease Control
(Region 10), the Chiang Mai provincial health office, the Bangkok
Metropolitan Administration, drug treatment facilities, local law
enforcement and Thai nongovernmental organizations. PSI/Thailand
also works with a number of international NGOs including Medecins
Sans Frontieres (Belgium). |
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Current
Donors: |
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
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Project Activities and Highlights
Due to the concentrated nature of the AIDS epidemic in Thailand,
PSI/Thailand’s strategy is solely focused on targeted social marketing
and behavior change communication (BCC). The goal of PSI Thailand is
to contribute to a reduction in the incidence and prevalence of HIV/AIDS
among high-risk groups.
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HIV/AIDS
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2006 Accomplishments
— Developed the Monitoring and Information System (MIS), an innovative
tool used in IDU drop-in centers to allow tracking of client
flow and attendance of activities.
— Conducted the second round of the HIV/AIDS Tracking Survey of
IDUs, which found that that
PSI/Thailand had an impact on
behaviors among the intervention population that were highly exposed
to program messages. Improvements in social norms for needle and
equipment sharing, and increased awareness of O-zone drop-in centers
among IDUs surveyed.
— Launched an HIV prevention prison project aimed at increasing
knowledge of HIV and drug recovery among soon-to-be released prisoners
arrested for drug felonies.
— Launched information, education, and communication
(IEC) materials to serve as communication tools for
peer educators, in addition to generating greater interest among
target groups. Local NGOs and public health centers have shown
strong interest in the materials and
have helped disseminate them through their program networks.
—
PSI/Thailand was recognized by the Population Institute for IEC
efforts targeting
TGs, receiving the 2006 Global Media Award for Excellence in Population
Reporting in the category of Best Commercial Advertising Campaign.
— Increased recognition and interest of Yours female condom,
the first subsidized female condom ever launched in Thailand, among
governmental organizations, other NGOs and the general public. |
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O-zone counseling centers
O-zone centers are a safe place where recovering drug users can
find the trust and support they need to stay
clean. PSI uses a peer-driven approach led by peer educators,
who are often former drug users. In every O-zone center, PSI
works with a steering
committee of medical experts in drug use, police officials
and representatives of the community to ensure community support
and reduce stigma. O-zone centers offer a mix of activities
aimed to increase membership (such as athletic events and computer
training) and BCC activities (such as group discussions about
sexual and drug-related risks). In 2006, BCC intervention
and services were expanded to IDU health service providers,
hospitals where methadone
treatment services are available and methadone centers.
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Sisters counseling centers
PSI/Thailand launched Sisters, a counseling center for TGs
in Pattaya, in 2005. The first of its kind in Thailand, the center
a safe place for TGs (who are often involved in sex work) to
access
information on risk reduction. In 2006, “TG-friendly”
health services were launched to meet the specific
health concerns of TGs and to attract more clients to the center
services. Voluntary HIV counseling and testing (VCT) is being
integrated into the center’s health services.
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Outreach Education for high-risk groups
Dedicated peer educators reach out to high-risk groups with
HIV/AIDS prevention messages such as the promotion of consistent
condom use with all partners or activities to prevent use of
non-sterile injecting equipment. Outreach efforts for high-risk
groups will be a priority for the coming year, acknowledging
the challenges members have in accessing counseling centers.
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relief
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PSI/Asia uses various forms of media to reach large numbers
of people with safer sex messages. This truck promotes healthy
sexual behavior while traveling its daily route.
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