Summary Report: Health Care Provider Survey in Gujarat, India: Part 12

Finding - 3

• There was a wide gap between the measurements of 'practice' and 'knowledge' of HCPs with regard to 'recent sexual contact' in 'history taking' (Category 1), all aspects of physical examination ('exposing genital area fully', 'retracting foreskin' and 'milking the penis to examine for white discharge') (Category 2), 'actual prescription of medicine' and 'knowledge about correct medicines to be prescribed' (treatment) (Categories 1 & 2) and all aspects of 'patient counseling' ('treatment compliance', 'condom use' and 'partner treatment'( (Categories 1, 2, 3 & 4).
  
• HCPs had indicated during the in-depth interviews that there was a dire need to improve the attitudes and skills of most of the HCPs and other related staff members for imparting the recommended STI case management.
  

Recommendation

• Training programs (hands on, clinic based) for HCPs needed to be organized with emphasis on their 'improvement of actual practices of STI case management and care' rather than merely increasing their knowledge.