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	HIV / AIDS Charter
	Strategies For Implementing The HIV / AIDS Charter

EDUCATION

HIV/AIDS education shall include:

	data and trends;
	basic medical information;
	preventive measures including the various harm reduction methods and universal precautions ;
	counselling;
	care and support of people with HIV;
	legal and ethical issues;
	shared religious values and principles;
	socio-economic impact;
	vulnerability of and special issues relating to women and children.

HIV/AIDS education shall be on-going, easily understood, target 5pecific and shall cover all sectors of the population.

HIV / AIDS education programmes can be integrated into existing programmes, like the Rakan Muda and Kemas programmes.

The methods for disseminating information could be improved by exploring innovative methods particularly for captive audiences at cinemas, in buses and at other public places.

The public should be educated as to the need for shelter of people living with HIV/AIDS.

Appropriate training and education on HIV / AIDS and related issues should be carried out for the public by relevant organisations. For example, parenting skills training should include HIV/AIDS information as well as training in communicating this information to their children.

For children and youth, age appropriate information should be provided through formal, non-formal and informal education.

	HIV/AIDS education in the family health education curriculum should be strengthened and made compulsory as soon as possible.
	All teachers should be given continuous and updated training to implement more effectively family health education across the school curriculum.

HIV/AIDS educational programmes in workplaces shall be linked with staff development programmes. They could be family based or relate to living skills or the special interests of employees. Non- governmental organisations and trained in-house resource persons shall carry out these programmes.

10.

	Education and training of all health care workers shall include instruction on universal precautions. This should be carried out at: (i) medical/nursing / other training schools;
i)	workplace orientation programmes;
ii)	continuing education courses.

	To ensure that health care workers strictly follow all the necessary precautions, efforts must be made to overcome the existing limitations:
i)	the nonchalant attitude of health care workers;
ii)	limited availability and accessibility of safety wear;
iii)	financial constraints.

11.

Preventive education on drugs, smoking and intoxicant abuse should be encouraged.

12.

	Imams, pastors, priests, venerable chiefs, religious leaders and community leaders should be educated and sensitised to HIV/AIDS issues.
	Churches. mosques, temples and other places of worship should be encouraged to carry out HIV/AIDS educational programmes and activities to promote responsible behaviour using family health programmes.

13.

The relevant professional bodies must sensitise doctors and other healthcare workers as to the need to keep patients' records confidential including from the patients' employers.

EDUCATION MATERIALS

1.	Materials need to be developed and distributed. Such materials must address the needs of specific groups.

2.	Educational materials and messages should be accurate, adequate. explicit and easily understood. They should be pre-tested for content and presentation.

3.	The effectiveness of HIV/AIDS educational materials should be constantly reviewed and corrective measures should be undertaken whenever necessary.

4.	Educational materials should be distributed nationwide.

COUNNSELLING

	Pre-test counselling should include information on:
i)	the nature of tests;
ii)	the meaning of test results;
iii)	the benefits and disadvantages of testing;
iv)	available care and support services;
v)	measures to avoid infection and prevent transmission.

	In post-test counselling, appropriate psycho-socio-economic and medical/health care support should be provided in addition to the above information.

	Pre-marital counselling should be encouraged.
	It should address the special issues involved if one or both partners are HIV positive.
	It should include the pros and cons of pregnancies particularly the consequences on the child, the family and society.

HIV/AIDS information should be included in pre-marriage courses and pre-marriage information packs.

Mutual trust and understanding should be promoted between spouses and partners to facilitate voluntary testing, partner notification and joint counselling and where necessary .the use of condoms to prevent transmission.

CARE AND SUPPORT SERVICES

1.	Care and support systems addressing the needs of specific groups should be set up.

2.	Support from peers should be encouraged and support mechanisms particularly for the care of people with HIV-related illnesses should be provided.

3.	For inmates of prisons and detention centres who are about to be released, counselling, halfway houses and other support services should be provided.

4.	Volunteers should be trained to provide education. counselling and care in relation to HIV / AIDS.

FINANCIAL MATTERS

1.	Financial provision must be made by government and the private sector for the implementation of this Charter.

2.	Tax exemptions should be provided to the private sector for financing HIV/AIDS educational programmes and care and support services.

3.	AIDS is a terminal illness and should entitle the individual to E.P.F. withdrawal on medical grounds.

INSURANCE

1.	Independent studies should be commissioned in relation to insurance cover for people living with HIV.

2.	Consultations with the insurance industry and other interested parties should be initiated.

OTHER ACTION

1.	There should be legislation against eviction by a landlord solely on the basis of a tenant's HIV status.

2.	Action should be taken against health care workers who deny treatment to people living with HIV/AIDS.

3.	Efforts must be made to promote collaboration between government agencies, non-governmental organisations and religious groups in HIV/ AIDS related activities

4.	In prisons and detention centres, steps should be taken to recruit and train more staff. In the interim, support from other government agencies and non-governmental organisations should be sought.

5.	Research should be carried out to determine whether the doctrine of necessity can be applied to permit the use of harm reduction methods in otherwise prohibited situations.

6.	Studies should be conducted in relation to the socio-economic factors contributing to the spread of HIV.

7.	Steps should be taken to determine how best to implement anonymous testing for HIV implement .