ICT and AIDS Literacy: A Challenge for Information Professionals in India

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of ICT to disseminate preventive health care information to combat the AIDS epidemic in India. The role of information professionals in various libraries and information centres and the challenges they are facing to increase HIV/AIDS awareness are discussed. Finally, recommendations are given and the conclusion is drawn that libraries and information professionals must develop AIDS literacy programmes to cater to the growing health information needs of the community. Design/methodology/approach: Literature search, web site information and personal interaction with the key persons associated with various HIV/AIDS awareness projects. Findings: Lack of knowledge about AIDS, its modes of transmission and ways to avoid infection, are major challenges in India. Staff in ICT-based library and information centres can make a high impact on the local community by developing community-based AIDS literacy programmes and hopefully save the society from an AIDS epidemic. There is a perceived need for providing health information services through public libraries to the illiterate rural population who are increasingly making themselves vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. However, awareness of e-channels is low, especially in rural India; one solution is to increase take-up and run AIDS awareness campaigns through electronic media. Originality/value: A summary is provided of ICT-based projects and initiatives by libraries and other agencies to disseminate AIDS information. Few multi-type consortia have been formed in the USA and UK to develop AIDS databases and e-learning modules are listed. These can be used as examples by Indian libraries with limited resources wishing to enhance community awareness through ICT. The concerted efforts amongst stakeholders are emphasized with the objectives of enhancing information professionals' skill in the AIDS information dissemination process.