Annual Report 2017
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ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT 2017 Lhak-Sam (BNP+) ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT 2017 ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT 2017 Lhak-Sam (BNP+) A Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS in Bhutan (BNP+) (Altruism) 1 ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT 2017 “It’s not the years in your life, but the life in your years” - Abraham Lincoln 2 ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acronyms ........................................................................................................... 4 Overview of the Annual report .................................................................... 5 Executive summary ........................................................................................... 7 HIV & AIDS in Bhutan at a glance .................................................................... 9 Scope of Programs .......................................................................................... 11 • Advocacy and Awareness ................................................................. 11 • Outreach and networking ........................................................... 13 • Treatment Literacy ........................................................................ 14 • LGBT Communty Forum .................................................................. 15 • Social Support .............................................................................. 16 • Education Support ......................................................................... 17 • Training of the Media people ............................................................ 18 Annual Events................................................................................................. 20 • Observation of World AIDS Day .......................................................... 20 • Candlelight Memorial ..................................................................... 21 • IDAHOT Day ......................................................................... 22 Lhak-Sam’s Ongoing & Future Projects ........................................................ 23 • Lhak-Sam’s Community Based Care Centre ............................................ 23 • (GGP) Grant Assistant for grassroot project ........................................... 24 • Large Scale Organic Farming ............................................................ 25 • Greenhouse for Seasonal Flower Farming .............................................. 25 Financial Report 2016 ................................................................................. 27 Conclusion ....................................................................................................... 28 Contact Details of Health Service Providers ................................................. 33 Our Involvement ......................................................................................... 34 Board Members ........................................................................................... 34 3 ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT 2017 ACRONYMS UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund AIDS Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ANC Ante-Natal Clinic ART Anti-retroviral treatment C4D Communication for Development CBO Community based Organization CST Care, support and Treatment GFATM Global Fund to fight against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria HISC Health Information and Service Center HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus HPV Human Papilloma virus IEC Information, Education and Communication JDWNRH Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital LGBT Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender MoH Ministry of Health MTCT Mother-to-child transmission NACP National HIV, AIDS and STI Control Program NGO Non-Government Organization PEP Post-exposure prophylaxis PITC Provider initiated testing and Counseling PLHIV People living with HIV PMTCT Prevention of mother to child transmission PrEP Pre-exposure prophylaxis RENEW Respect, Educate, Nurture, Empower Women SDG Sustainable development goals STI Sexually transmitted infection TB Tuberculosis UNAIDS Joint United Nations Program on HIV and AIDS WHO World Health Organization YDF Youth Development Fund 4 ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT 2017 OVERVIEW OF THE ANNUAL REPORT Introduction to Lhak-Sam Vision Lhak-Sam (Altruism) formally got “To create a society unconditionally free registered under the Civil Society from myths, fear, prejudice, discrimination Organization Authority of Bhutan (CSOA), and criminalization, where all the people on 26th November 2010, as a Public shall have opportunities for a meaningful Benefit, Not for Profit organization in livelihood” Bhutan. Lhak-Sam is the first of its kind, network of people living with HIV & AIDS Mission in the country. Since its inception, Lhak- Sam has been playing a pivotal role in In partnership with relevant supporters responding to HIV & AIDS epidemic in and donors, Lhak-Sam aims to become close partnership with the government, a premier organization in Bhutan relevant agencies and donors. The top committed to providing and promoting priorities sectors for the organization has leadership, education and competency always been and will continue to be to to all the PLHIV, KAPs, their families, and reduce new HIV infections, AIDS related the people of Bhutan through reducing deaths and discrimination, through fear, isolation, prejudice, discrimination, improving the livelihood, perception, and improving people’s positive thinking attitude and service seeking behavior of and living productively through people’s the people. access to a range of quality prevention, treatment, care, and support services. Being the only organization in the country with the mandate of ending AIDS, Lhak- Objectives Sam guide, parent and work together with the key affected populations in The objective of Lhak-Sam is addressing the social, health, legal and economic issues faced by them. The fear “To create and promote a strong support and isolation reduction, closeness and system based on solidarity, social confidence building and empowerment networking and people’s participation for through information and education addressing and taking collective action programs and promotion of love, towards effective response” to HIV & AIDS compassion and kindness are the core and its negative impacts”. Further, the value and work of Lhak-Sam. objective is: Knowing the vastness of HIV and AIDS a) To network and extend care to all, and intervention, Lhak-Sam works with multi provide support to only disadvantaged sect oral organizations in carrying out PLHIV and KAPs in Bhutan and the programs to achieve its mission, vision region; and objectives as highlighted below: 5 b) To empower and enhance the effective response to preventing HIV competency of all members of PLHIV and mitigating its effects in the country and KAPs to participate fully in their and the region; own treatment, care and prevention e) To advocate on social, health, legal programs and services; and economic issues faced by the c) To reduce fear, prejudice, PLHIV and KAPs to the relevant discrimination by minimizing the partners and policy makers to bring negative impacts of HIV and AIDS in about appropriate policies and all levels of society through various regulations; perception and behavior change F) To increase access to resources and communications programs; support PLHIV, KAPs and their affected d) To enhance greater and more family members to lead a meaningful meaningful participation of the livelihood and develop self financing members of the society through ability and long term sustainability strategic partnership building with capacity for sharing some of the members of PLHIV and KAPs, key economic burden of the country in stakeholders and donors towards responding to AIDS. 6 ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT 2017 ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT 2017 Executive Summary The year 2017 marks retreat services possible and available for Lhak-Sam’s seven many in the world. It has resulted in reduced years of commitment infections, discriminations and deaths. For and successful which, we pay sincere gratitude and respect to contribution to the the personals and entities who had struggled goals of health, really hard to make universal access a reality wellbeing, equity, for many. compassion and happiness to the We are continuing to enjoy the outcome of nation and in the their positive thinking, speaking and doing region. Recognizing its work, His Majesty the enabling us to live healthily and meaningfully King, awarded Lhak-Sam (altruism) with the as an individual, in the family, community National Order of Merit in GOLD in 2016. In and society at large. However, the Human 2004 His Majesty the Fourth King issued an Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) which causes edict which called for people’s compassion, fear, prejudice, sickness, discrimination, shared concern and joint responsibilities. It criminalization, AIDS, death, division and on was further cohered by His Holiness the Je- and on is not gone away. It is still continuing Khenpo (Chief Abbot) and Her Majesty the to infect and lay its icy hand on millions of Queen Mother Gyalyum Sangay Choden people every year compelling billions to still Wangchuck when five members of Lhak-Sam remain in movement of fear and agony. publicly disclosed their HIV status in 2011. The initiatives that we have been taking have The past global advocacy messages which become well known in the community for portrayed AIDS as a deadly and killer disease bringing the grassroots issues to the centre has deeply embed negative memories in of discussions, including among the policy the human brains which needs eradication makers. through