Water, sanitation and hygiene for arresting opportunistic infections for people living with HIV and AIDS

In line with WaterAid’s equity and inclusion framework, WaterAid in India has sought to reduce barriers for improved access to sustainable WASH services for people living with HIV and AIDS in Uttar Pradesh, India. The main objective of the program was to increase participants’ understanding of and access to WASH. The program developed numerous information, education and communication materials aimed at behaviour change among HIV positive people. Another activity was to provide people living with HIV with WASH information and resources, such
as chlorine tablets and hygiene kits, and through WASH corners at the community care centres where they were already receiving clinical care and treatment. The program also aimed to improve understanding among the health, HIV and AIDS and WASH sectors of the benefits of promoting WASH as a risk prevention measure for opportunistic infections among people living with HIV and AIDS and their carers. WaterAid in India recently joined the Red Ribbon Express—an HIV and AIDS advocacy train that crossed India—to further disseminate messages on HIV and WASH. The program’s innovative approach has had remarkable success in raising awareness of the link between WASH and opportunistic
infections. This paper offers a great example for practitioners seeking strategies to work with the HIV community on WASH issues. [authors abstract]

This case study is one of sixteen from the Towards Inclusive WASH series, supported by AusAID’s Innovations Fund.