HiLDA started its HIV/AIDS preventive activities in 1995. The team members got trained in HIV/AIDS preventive work and in Risk reduction counseling. The programme started with awareness generation programmes and later concentrated on Community based targeted Intervention programme covering the risk groups like sex workers, clients, truckers, tribals and unwed mothers. Since most of the people of Wayanad lack proper orientation on sexual health components, HiLDA had developed a Community based Sexual health Intervention strategy and begins to address the rural/ tribal and other risk groups through various methods. Besides the TI components, the programme also addressed the economic and organizational needs of the community. Peer Educators and Volunteers were developed among the groups and they were trained as Local Health promoters. The volunteers were then later linked to the local authority and Primary Health centers and they were developed as the facilitators and co-coordinators and their active involvement thus ensures the sustainability of the programme locally.

Director of HiLDA with NACO members

Explicit behavioral change among the risk groups, increased health seeking behavior, reduction in the HIV infections, increased safe sex practices, more attendance in counseling sessions, concern to the infected etc are the main impact of the programme.

• Covering risk groups like sex workers, unwed mothers, clients, tribals and truckers.
• Village level awareness seminars
• Production and distribution of IECs
• Street theatre on HIV/AIDS
• Family life education for High School/College students.
• Intervention through peer educators among risk groups.
• Treatment for the STD patients.
• Promotion of condoms.
• Counseling service
• Care & support for the AIDS patients
• Research on sexual health.

Medical camps on STD