Bulawayo city council programme to prevent sexual transmission of HIV among vulnerable groups : final report phase one

ABSTRACT

In October 1989; Dr B Nyati; Director of the Bulawayo City Health Services Department undertook to implement a community-based intervention for sexually vulnerable groups; including sex workers; clients and STD patients in Bulawayo; Zimbabwe's second largest city (pop. 710 000). The programme has the following components policy dialogue; definition of target groups; baseline research; identification of messages; training of health and community workers; peer education; community outreach; condom distribution; improved STD services; drama/musicgroups; support for PWA groups; income generating activities; evaluation; expansion and replication. Over 60 peer educators have been recruited and trained and have spearheaded a vigorous communtiy outreach. To date; the programme has held over 2732 meetings and distributed 151 2857 condoms. Including repeat participoants; 236 533 males habe participated in meetings; 8 000-10 000 of whom may be clients and 30 896 of whom are STD patients. 52 974 women habe participated in meetings; of whom 15000 to 2000 may be sex workers and 3774 are STD patients. The programme has reached far more sex workers; clients and STD patients than it undertook to and it has been extended to include vigorous community-wide programmes and to develop and test models for workplace and youth projects. Income generating activities have also been initiated to share some of the costs of peer education; expand the pool of peer educators and tackle the economic underpinnings of sexual vulnerability among women. [abstract terminated]