Training programme on HIV/AIDs at Jammu University

by Scoop News    February 22, 2011

Jammu, February 22 (Scoop News) -   A twelve-day training programme on counselling in the field of HIV/AIDS for the ICTC counsellors from Jammu and Kashmir being organised by the Department of Psychology, University of Jammu, in collaboration with Jammu and Kashmir State AIDS Control Society (J&KSACS) started here this afternoon at the Seminar Hall of Environmental Sciences. The training programme from 22nd February to 5th March 2011 organised under the aegis of Saksham, a five year programme supported by the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), aimed at increasing the capacity of the people who are in the area of counselling at the Integrating Counselling and Testing Centres (ICTC) centres set up in various hospitals in all the three regions-Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

 Dr Wasim Qureshi, Project Director, J&K SACS was the chief guest of the inaugural function while Professor Poonam Dhawan, Director, Department of Lifelong Learning was the guest of honour. Dr. Arti Bakshi, Head of Department, Department of Psychology, Mr Ritesh Khajuria, Assistant Director, J&K SACS and a number of SACS and Jammu University officials besides the students and scholars of University were also present at the occasion.

Saksham which means "Capable" or "Self-reliant”, is a unique partnership between 36 academic institutions that are working in close coordination with the public health system (National AIDS Control Society and State AIDS Control Societies), and contributing to the National AIDS Control Programme. Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) Mumbai is the Principal Recipient and it works in partnership with six Sub- Recipients (SRs) and 30 Sub-Sub- Recipients (SSRs). The University of Jammu has been selected as an SSR and the Department of Psychology has been the nodal agency for its implementation in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking at the occasion, Dr Qureshi said India is ranking number third among HIV/AIDS infecting countries after South Africa and Nigeria. He said it is very important to spread awareness about this disease and counselling is an important component to control this problem as this aims at behaviour change of the persons. He said GFATM is providing standardised counselling training to the counsellor and they are following a very professional approach.

Speaking at the occasion, Prof Poonam Dhawan, University of Jammu said Counsellors in the field of HIV AIDs have a very important role to play as counsellor’s job is not that of an advisor but that of a facilitator. She stressed on four ‘C’ which are very important in counselling process, i.e. consciousness, concern, conviction and commitment.

Earlier, Dr Arti Bakshi gave a resume of the work being done by Department regarding GFATM project and the aspects of this 12-day training programme. She said the GFATM has trained 21 master trainers to undertake HIV/AIDS counsellor’s trainings. These trainers, Master trainers, are from different fields of expertise, ranging from medicine to social sciences. 

Dr. Chand Trehan, Capacity Building Officer, GFATM,  Manju Cheema, programme assistant, GFATM Jammu,Azim and other GFATM staff was also present at the occasion including  Coral Manhas, research scholar.

In the training programme, technical sessions would be conducted on the themes like need, goal and purpose of counselling; roles and responsibilities of the counsellor; different forms, types and styles of supervision; skills and ethical issues in counselling supervision; conflict reduction, advocacy, networking and managing transference and counter-transference; counselling methods among the supervisors; problem of stress and burnout among the counsellors and the its prevention and management  by master trainers.

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