Coffee Blossom

Working with Plantations for Migrants Health and HIV

Awareness

KODAGU DISTRICT

Background of Kodagu

• Kodagu (Coorg), the thickly wooded grandeur on the Western Ghats, is one of the most beautiful hill stations of Karnataka and one of the smallest in it – with 3 Taluks

• The economy of Kodagu district is based on Agriculture, Plantations, and Forestry. They grow Coffee, Paddy, Cardamom, Pepper, Rice, Ginger, Oranges and many other cash crops

• In recent years tourism has also begun to play a role in the economy. Eco-tourism, such as walking and trekking tours, take advantage of plantation buildings converted into guest-houses.

Why work with Estates for HIV prevention?

• In the present situation, there is a lot of migrant population in the District. Most of them come as labourers to work in plantation and construction sites. from Orissa, West Bengal, Assam, U.P, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala & Bellary, Chamarajnagar & other parts of Karnataka.

• Most of them come to work, leaving their family in their own native, where there may be a chance of High Risk Behavior.

• HIV positive cases are found in the ICTC Centre’s & most of them are illiterates & lack Health education including HIV-AIDS & STI.

• In order to prevent further infection & also to provide care, treatment & services to the infected, the need of HIV-AIDS awareness along with the services were felt in the Kodagu District.

The strategy used for the camp

Special Health Check-up camps with awareness on HIV-AIDS, STI ,Dental Check-up & General Health

General Health Check Ups were seen as an appropriate and non threatening manner tom initiate discussions on HIV. These ensured that migrants felt comfortable and HIV related messaging was also initiated.

Planning for the camp • Asha KiranaTI-NGO, is working in the Plantation Sector for

migrant workers

• After discussions with -DAPCU Kodagu, Arathi Somaiah, Project Manager of Asha Kirana contacted the Managers of the estate and discussed the need of Health camp along with awareness programme.

• BBTC & TATA Coffee Managers & other staff were sensitized on HIV-AIDS at an earlier point in time

What was offered in the health camps

• HIV-AIDS Counseling & Testing by ICTC Staff

• STI & General Health Check up DPO Kodagu, & MO PHC of the concerned PHC

• Dental Check up by Coorg Institute of Dental Sciences , Virajpet.

• Blood donation

• Blood Grouping with the Help of ICTC LT

Background of BBTC Estate

• BBTC is a Company Estate, having 4500 acres of Coffee Plantation in & around Siddapura & Polibetta, Virajpet Taluk, Kodagu District.

• During the season approx 600 migrant labourers come to work in the coffee plantation every year.

• Most of the migrant labours & permanent labourers are illiterates and they lack Health Education. The nearest Hospital is CHC Siddapura

Background of Tata Coffee Estate

• TATA Coffee Estate, approx. 10,000 acres of Coffee Plantation with major 9 coffee estates & 1 Tea Estate in Virajpet & Somwarpet Taluk of Kodagu District.

• There are around 5000 workers in the coffee plantation. During the season approx 4500 migrant labourers come to work in the coffee plantation every year. Most of the migrant labours & permanent labourers are not literate and they lack health education.

• Nallur Estate has 1700 acres of coffee plantation. There are 210 workers in the estates, during the season 175 migrants come to work. The nearest Hospital is PHC Sunticoppa.

Specific Activities during the CAMP • Special Health Camps Conducted at

1. BBTC Estate, Siddapura, Kodagu on 14-12-11.

2. TATA Coffee Estate-Nallur, Sunticoppa on 26-2-12

• Street Play on HIV-AIDS & General Health through Folk Team by KSAPS & Local Team.

• Awareness on HIV-AIDS, STI, TB, HIV-AIDS services available , Hygiene & Dental Hygiene by DACO, DIS & MO from Dental college.

What role did estate owners play? • The Managers, Supervisor’s, ANM’s of the estate motivated

the workers to attend the camp. • Arrangements for the camp through the estate specially for

ICTC Counseling, testing & Health checkup rooms.

Estate Wise Outputs • BBTC Estate • Blood Donation, Units collected : 29 • Street Play on HIV-AIDS from Folk Team-Chaithanya Kalathanda, Hunsur • No of participants : 200 • STI Check-up for 15 estate workers by DACO • Blood Grouping for 67 workers • Blood Sugar for 19 workers

• HIV Counselling & Testing 56 member • TATA Coffee Nallur Estate • Information HIV-AIDS, STI, TB & General Health By DACO, DACO Kodagu • Dental Hygiene by Dr. Vipin, Coorg Institute of Dental Sciences, Virajpet • No of participants : 160 • STI Check-up by DPO : 60 workers • Blood Grouping for : 65 workers • HIV Counselling & Testing : 58 members • Dental Check-up : 58 members • General Check up : 160 members

STI &General Health Check-up by DPO, DAPCU &

Dr.Sathish-MO, Cherambane

Grouping & HIV testing by ICTC staff at Nallur Estate

Future Plans

• Planning for Sensitization for Pvt Estate owners through Coorg Planter’s Association with the help of Asha Kirana-TI NGO for Migrant workers.

• To have Health Check-up camps in the Pvt Estates.