THE DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAMME ( 4 months)

               This consists of 13 modules on the topics listed below and aims at the development of requisite knowledge for clinical care of HIV infection at a secondary level. Each module is carefully organized to facilitate active learning through solving of case based problems, reflection on practice and regular feedback.

HIV: Basic Science and Laboratory Testing	Anti Retroviral Therapy
HIV and the Respiratory System	Safe Blood Banking
HIV and Nervous System	HIV & Gastrointestinal System
HIV & Women	Psychological Care in HIV
HIV: RTIs & STIs	HIV & T.B.
HIV and Children	HIV & Fever
Infection Control & Exposure Prevention

Each module will consist of :

• Case based activities
• A tutor marked assignment
• Reading and references

               Each module will require about 6 hours of work and has to be completed within one week. They will be sent to the participants in advance. Participants will work through the module and submit a tutor-marked assignment by post at the end of the week. The submission of the assignment will be an essential requirement for completion of the module.

 

PROJECT PHASE (duration 6 months)

               The objective of including a project in this course is to strengthen and supplement the HIV care services in the participants’ hospital/institution. By the end of the course, there would be available for the hospital/institution an adequate and functioning system with the following minimum components, appropriate to the local context:

OutPatient Clinic	Inpatient Care
HIV Testing	Infection control and exposure prevention system
Counselling	Staff Education

The basic project plan must aim at ensuring these facilities.

Depending on the level of care and local health needs, the project may also include:

Networking with local health care providers	Development of an HIV policy
Setting up of an HIV team	Home based care
Networking with community organisations involved in HIV care	Needle exchange programme
Education of GPs

The basic outline of the project must be submitted as part of the application. Faculty members will guide the participants in project planning and implementation. The participant will submit the detailed project outline at the end of CC-I, and the detailed project proposal during CC-II. The project proposals will be reviewed and approved. The participant would implement the project during the project phase. The supervising faculty will provide on-going guidance. The student will submit two interim reports during the project phase and one final project report during CC-IV.