HEALTH CAMP AT GAURIFANTA TRANSIT POINT

Background: EMPHASIS is a regional project, working to reduce HIV and AIDS vulnerability among cross border migrants. Prevention and referral services being one of its core portfolios, access to HIV and AIDS services are made to reduce the vulnerabilutity of its impact population to HIV and AIDS.

So, for making the service accessibility of the migrants to HIV testing and counseling and STI treatment health/mobile camps are organized in the source and destinations. Recently, with the increasing demand of the Nepali migrant population, one of such health camp was organized in the transit of Gaurifanta border targeting the Nepali Migrants Population (NMPs).

Camp: As a pilot program, the health camp addressing the service need of the NMPs was conducted on 25th February 2013 at Gaurifanta transit in support of CARE India by partner organization Bhartiya Gramin Sewa Vikas Sanstha (BGSVS). Gaurifanta transit point was chosen for the activity as it is the entry point for Nepali Mobile populations to India to depart to their respective work destinations.

The free health camp was organized with the objective of understanding the migrant's vulnerability, their physical examination along with consultation and counselling services. A total of 56 migrants were examined by Dr. B.R. Verma among which 51 were NMPs. Dr. Verma (President of Private Medical Practioners Association) said, "This is my first experience of health camps. I am very much exited and I will not leave the place unless and until, I examine the last person in the queue." The services provided during the camp included; medical consultancy, counseling, condom demonstration, information dissemination on HIV and AIDS and referral.

Result: As a result, 56 people received the services among which 51 were NMPs, 26 received counseling on STI & healthy living and 12 migrants were referred for STI clinic for treatment & HIV testing. The NMPs were informed about the Government facility in location of their destinations, for treatment. The greater accomplishment includes the increased ownership of the migrants towards the project and for reducing their HIV and AIDS vulnerability. Thus, with all its focused interventions along the continuum of mobility based on the ground for prevention and referral services, EMPHASIS is creating a difference as one of the few cross border projects in making cross border migration safe and reducing vulnerability to HIV and AIDS.