1 / 27

Implementing an HIV/AIDS Policy at a Major Caribbean University

Implementing an HIV/AIDS Policy at a Major Caribbean University. B. Anglin-Brown, B. Bain, M. Ruddock-Small, J. Mullings. Context. Today, the Caribbean still has the second highest prevalence rate of HIV infections in the world, with only the sub-Saharan African region having higher rates.

miriam
Download Presentation

Implementing an HIV/AIDS Policy at a Major Caribbean University

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Implementing an HIV/AIDS Policy at a Major Caribbean University B. Anglin-Brown, B. Bain, M. Ruddock-Small, J. Mullings

  2. Context • Today, the Caribbean still has the second highest prevalence rate of HIV infections in the world, with only the sub-Saharan African region having higher rates.

  3. THE CARIBBEAN Central America South America

  4. The University of the West Indies(UWI) Established 1948

  5. The University of the West Indies (2008) • Multinational, quasi-Governmental • Serving mainly the Anglophone Caribbean (15 countries) • Student enrollment > 40,000 • Staff complement > 2,500 Mandate: Education & Training, Research, Consultation, Community Outreach

  6. At the Students’ Union, Univ. of the West Indies, Jamaica

  7. Students at dinner with the Campus Principal, Jamaica

  8. Issues • Policies can be shelf documents that few people are aware of, thus lessening their value. • This was our experience at the University of the West Indies after the first HIV/AIDS Policy was approved in 1986. • In 2001, the challenge was to create an updated HIV/AIDS policy and have it implemented within the University!

  9. First HIV Policy at UWI • Developed and approved at the Jamaica campus largely through advocacy by the Director of the Campus Health Service • Adopted for the entire university in 1995 • Few persons were aware of its existence

  10. In the year 2000 • No organized HIV programme at UWI (only a small program at the University Hospital) • HIV not high on the strategic agenda of the University • The UWI Vice-Chancellor approached three leaders to ask for increased UWI involvement in the response to HIV/AIDS

  11. Birth of UWI HARP • Brainstorming meeting held in March 2001 • Committees launched on the three campuses: • Jamaica - August 2001 • Barbados - February 2002 • Trinidad & Tobago - February 2002

  12. 2001: The UWI HIV/AIDS Response Programme established as an Institutional Programme

  13. Genesis of a Revised UWI HIV policy • A voluntary, multidisciplinary task force appointed from among UWI HARP members • Led by the Director of the University Health Service on the Jamaica campus

  14. Developing the new document • Information gathered from other universities and organizations • A succession of drafts prepared • Legal input sought • Outside of UWI HARP, we noted that HIV was still not high on the agenda of the leaders and decision-makers in the university

  15. Getting formal approval • Draft document presented to the decision making committee on the Jamaica campus • After much deliberation, accepted by campus authorities for implementation • Subsequently presented to the senior administrative group governing all campuses • Accepted as a university-wide policy

  16. Bringing the policy document to life

  17. Implementation steps • Multidisciplinary working group formed • Director, University Health Services, Jamaica campus • UWI HARP Members • Specialists in Communication,Gender, Behaviour change • Staff Association representatives • UWI Guild of Students • Office of Student Services • Situational assessment via questionnaire survey and focus group studies • Issues related to HIV placed in the context of wellness

  18. Implementation steps • Multiple communication tools used • Reader-friendly version of full document developed • University community segmented into target audiences • Different methods designed for each target audience • Sensitization workshops held for staff and students • HIV/AIDS policy… • positioned as part of wellness programme • linked with policy to reduce sexual harassment

  19. Peer to Peer activity for generating HIV Awareness

  20. Lessons Learned • Establishing an organized programme at UWI in response to HIV/AIDS was a catalyst for revision and implementation of the university’s HIV/AIDS policy

  21. Lessons Learned • In the policy implementation phase, using multiple methods and segmenting the target audiences allowed more effective reach to the university community

  22. Lessons Learned • Pursuing HIV as part of a “landscape” of relevant personal and social issues can be more successful than isolating the issue • “Sexual safety is part of wellness” • Part of community wellness is protecting the rights of PLWHA within the institution.

  23. Lessons Learned • Training and involvement of peer educators allowed more effective communication with members of the university community • No policy is static. Ours is a policy in evolution…

  24. Next steps • Policy Implementation started on the Jamaica campus will be extended to the other campuses • Further review of the policy has begun • Our approach has sparked interest in the development of policies dealing with other issues, including drugs, alcohol and sexual abuse

  25. Next steps • We will try to find ways to keep the policy relevant and alive • Longer-term evaluation of the outcome and impact of this effort is necessary

  26. Acknowledgements • Critical importance of external funding • The ‘SIRHASC’ Project (via CARICOM/PANCAP) • The National Health Fund (Jamaica) • The World Bank (via CARICOM/PANCAP) • Special thanks to the in-house team of volunteers on the Jamaica campus • The University Health Service • The Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication (CARIMAC) • The Trade Unions (Staff Associations)

  27. End of presentationThank you

More Related