OUR OBJECTIVE WHARF concentrates on specific beneficiary program with overall focus on Training and Education on HIV& AIDS Prevention from HIV by Creating Awareness Research& Comprehensive health care programs

Training and education on HIV& AIDS for primary care givers was the first initiative taken up by WHARF in the year 2002. More then 14300 doctors, nurses and paramedics have been trained in all these years. Affiliation for the training has been received from MSACS (Maharashtra State AIDS Control Society), MDACS (Mumbai District AIDS Control Society) and AVERTS Society.

The Training Modules are developed by the faculties associated with WHARF with technical input from Harvard Medical International. The editing team keeps updating the modules from time to time.

The Modules are:

• Update for Clinicians- is a day long program meant for clinicians and doctors. It gives an overview of HIV& AIDS with all the recent up dates.
• Basics of HIV& AIDS- it is a 4 week program where the participants have to attend a theory session. Followed by which they have to complete a field assignment which stretches to 3 weeks. Following the field work the participants have to make a presentation. The participants are certified at the end of the program. This program is meant for medical students and nurses and paramedics
• Advance on HIV& AIDS- It is a two day program meant for Doctors who are either working in the field of HIV& AIDS or infectious disease for long. More emphasis is given on case management in this curriculum

Education on Myths & Misconceptions

WHARF understood that the best way to tackle Stigma and Discrimination associated with HIV & AIDS was to educate the community. WHARF first started with an informal training program for its own employees. It's an hour long session covering the very basics of HIV& AIDS and removing all the myths and misconceptions associated with the disease. The program is designed for all the employees Management as well as Staffs (contractual& non contractual).

Every program is designed as per the group requirement and is conducted either in English, Hindi or Marathi. The session is conducted through games, group discussions and presentation. Approximately 1500 people from the private sector like Wockhardt Ltd, Videocon Ltd, HSBC and ABN AMRO, ICICI One Source, Intelenet, Macchar Industries, Sanya Motors has been trained in last one year.

More then 2000 police officials from Mumbai and Pune have attended this session. It should also be mentioned here that along with the police officials their spouses also attended the program.

Community program in the urban slums and rural villages have also been organized across Maharashtra. Women from the community are invited to discuss on various social issues including HIV& AIDS. Village opinion leaders are also invited in these discussions. Topics on social stigma and health care problems are discussed in these meetings.

WHARF Youth

This is a sub branch of WHARF established by the college students of Mumbai and Aurangabad. Student from various colleges of this two cities have joined together to create awareness on HIV& AIDS. They usually interact with the students of various schools and colleges during their fest. Usually plays, games and debates are organized in these events. The youths mostly speak on prevention and myths and misconceptions. There are 15 volunteers actively working for the cause, and 90-100 volunteers registered in this group.

In all these years WHARF has conducted several research programs, which are as follows

• Developing a Curriculum on HIV Prevention and Treatment for Caregivers in Resource-Limited Countries: The experience of WHARF in Mumbai, India
• Validating a primary care givers capacity building program in HIV/AIDS in Asia: structured questionnaires as a vehicle for auditing effectiveness and for directing curriculum changes
• Assessing Training Needs Of General Practitioners In HIV Management
• Synergizing global collaboration to address HIV/AIDS needs in rural India: the Jhabua experience
• Misconceptions About HIV Transmission Amongst Mumbai College Students
• Knowledge of HIV Caregivers in Mumbai: An Educational Challenge
• Receptiveness to HIV counselling and testing during antenatal care amongst Mumbai women
• Identifying preparedness and bringing HIV/AIDS education to the clinicians and people of District India
• ASHA- Advocating solutions for households in Aurangabad

ASHA a research amongst HIV infected and affected children has been conducted very recently to assess children's nutritional status in HIV/AIDS affected families in Aurangabad, India. It has been universally accepted that proper nutrition strengthen the immune system of HIV infected and affected people, so the study tried to find a food habit, locally available food and their process of using the same.

As an intervention strategy WHARF plans to introduce activities
i. Training on recipes made of locally available grains and vegetables
ii. Nutritive mix for children on ART

WHARF is also trying to mobilize funds to provide a pressure cooker in every household where a child is infected or affected with the virus.