HIV/AIDS Initiative in India: Community Mobilization and Sustainability of Health Care

Abstract

Community mobilization can lower the risk of HIV infection and help enhance and sustain the HIV/AIDS prevention program. Its applicability has been proved valuable while working with the sex workers and other high risk groups affected by HIV/AIDS infection. The challenges to community mobilisation basically include the absence of a sense of shared identity. Although the Community Mobilization (CM) approach is used in HIV/AIDS intervention programs, it fails to address structural barriers and related policy implications. A specific and in-depth analysis of community mobilisation relevant at the individual group level was conducted among two community based groups (CBGs) in Maharashtra using focused group discussion and participatory research methodology. The findings highlight that CM through these CBGs successfully implements the existing government programs among high risk groups but faces structural barriers while dealing with vulnerable groups. The finding introduces the community mobilisation group (CMB) models into our health policy ensuring that communities address prevention of disease and related challenges among stigmatized groups thereby enabling subsequent policy changes to overcome structural barriers. Considering the limited availability of healthcare resources, this method can optimize the program by strengthening the performance and elevating the sustainability levels thereby encouraging its inclusion in policymaking.