AIDS Prevention through Community Participation: Lesson Learned from the Islamic Community in Uganda

ABSTRACT

Objectives: The Islamic Medical Association of Uganda (IMAU) is implementing a pilot project to educate the Muslim minorities in two districts regarding AIDS and prevention of HIV transmission. Methods: Two districts with over 20Muslim minorities were selected for project implementation. Imams and volunteers are trained to encourage behaviour change during repeated family visits. Results: Project staff have been active in soliciting and incorporating community involvement in designing the project and in creating specific messages. Reliance on volunteers ensures that interventions are responsive to the perceived needs of the lack of community. Supervision of volunteers is constrained by the lack of transport. Condom promotion is controversial among religious leaders but the communities are demanding condom education and distribution. Conclusion: Community participation and support has been an essential element in the success of this project to date. Reliance on community participation has enabled the project to include condom education and distribution in response to community demand in spite of continuing ambivalence in the religious leadership. Behaviour change and condom education is enhanced by local participation in the design and implementation of the project