Text To Change And AIDS Information Centre Continue Successful SMS Quiz To Fight AIDS In Uganda

Main Category: HIV / AIDS
Article Date: 04 Dec 2008 - 6:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

The Dutch NGO, Text to Change (TTC) and The AIDS Information Centre - Uganda (AIC) have decided to continue their fruitful partnership in fighting HIV/AIDS by using incentive based Mobile Text Messaging. TTC and AIC aim to perform an expansion of the successful and well received Mbarara pilot, executed in February - March 2008, by jointly performing a second program in Arua (Northwest Uganda) targeting an audience of 10,000 mobile subscribers.

The HIV/AIDS SMS program is planned to start in the first week of January 2009 and will be supported by the Royal Netherlands Embassy (RNE) in Kampala. The aim of the TTC program is threefold: to increase awareness and knowledge on HIV/AIDS, to motivate people to participate in HIV counselling and testing (HCT) at the AIC regional centre so more people get to know their HIV status. Besides that the system allows TTC to capture valuable data on knowledge levels and behaviour patterns of mobile phone users which will be fed into the national health system database and help in program planning and policy formation. Over a one month period three HIV/AIDS sensitization questions will be sent out to the Audience. Participation will be free of charge and people will retain their anonymity. During the course of the program free HIV/AIDS tests will be provided at the Arua AIC centre. "We are very happy to proceed with the Text to Change program as AIC strongly believes in using innovative approaches for HIV education, prevention and scaling up HIV counselling and testing (HCT)" , says Dr. Raymond Byaruhanga, the AIC Executive Director.

Although HIV prevalence in Uganda has stabilized around 6-7 percent, there are still 130,000 new infections per year. Comprehensive knowledge levels among young Ugandans on HIV/AIDS are around 30% and the majority of Ugandans have never been tested for HIV and almost 80% is not aware of their HIV status1. The Uganda AIDS commission reports that HIV prevelance is on the rise again. Similarly, the global campaign on universal access to treatment and prevention by 2010 is undermined by poor access and response to HIV Counselling and testing services. However, one of the major problems is how to reach the populations most at risk and how to sustain the campaign momentum. This emphasises that there is a firm need to support existing HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns in a creative and practical way. Mobile telephony in Uganda is booming and is by far the most reliable mean of communication. The Uganda Communications Commission expects the number of mobile phone users to hit the six million mark by the end of 2008. For this reason it is TTC's mission to seize this enormous opportunity and use mobile telephony to alleviate health problems in an efficient, cost-effective and fun based way. The AIC Arua branch therefore welcomes the Text to Change program to West Nile region. "We encourage all the people of Arua and West Nile region to take advantage of this opportunity to access free HIV counselling and testing services at our Arua office and know their HIV status. We believe that this pioneering initiative will definitely contribute to the National and Global effort of Universal access to comprehensive HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010", states Lulu Henry Leku, Branch Manager AIC, Arua.

Incentive based SMS Quiz concept

TTC uses SMS text messages to reach cell phone subscribers with an incentive based multiple choice quizzes about HIV and AIDS issues including modes of infection, prevention as well as access to VCT services. By using this rewarding Quiz format TTC tends to challenge people to enter into a dialogue about HIV/AIDS and start open discussions on HIV/AIDS related subjects that are still tabooed in many African societies. As an extra motivator prizes are there to be won in the form of Air time and Mobile phones by people who submit the right answers.

Building on the encouraging results of the Mbarara pilot where the SMS quiz gained a response rate of nearly 18 % and an impressive increase in VCT uptake of 150% had been measured, TTC has developed its own flexible SMS platform which is being housed by MTN Uganda and is virtually capable of providing tailor made services to partners for an audience of over three million people. Bas Hoefman, the TTC founder says: "The concept of fun and incentive based health education via mobile phones will probably have a greater impact on youth, already familiar with SMS games and contests. In this way, the approach could actually be an important step towards a real change for the future of Uganda".

Reference
1 Uganda Aids Commission (UAC) 2007

Text to Change

TTC is specialised in mobile phone based solutions to measure, analyse and improve knowledge, attitude and behaviour on HIV/AIDS and other health issues in Sub Saharan Africa. Text to Change aims at establishing a complementary partnership amongst governments, public and private companies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), financial institutions and medical experts by sharing skills, resources and risks to achieve a common goal for mutual benefit. Website: http://www.texttochange.com

The AIDS Information Centre-Uganda

AIDS Information Centre-Uganda (AIC) is a Non-Governmental Organization established in 1990 to provide Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) for Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV). The Organization was founded as a result of growing demand from people who wanted to know their HIV status. Its mission is to provide HIV and AIDS information and quality HIV Counseling and Testing (HCT) services. AIC currently offers HCT services through 8 main branches of Kampala, Jinja, Mbale, Mbarara, Arua, Lira, Soroti and Kabale, selected hospitals, health centres, and antenatal clinics. AIC also conducts HCT outreaches to communities and institutions targeting the Most-at risk populations. Services provided include; Syphilis Testing and Management of all Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), Family Planning, Tuberculosis (TB) Management, CD4/8 Counting and treatment of opportunistic infections, Post Test Club services and Capacity building in HCT service delivery. AIC supported MOH to extend HCT services nearer to the communities by supporting HCT in 33 out of 83 districts in Uganda with over 200 district health facilities benefiting. AIC is widely praised for their professionalism, wide local knowledge and a long term experience in the field of HIV/AIDS.

AIDS Information Centre-Uganda