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This week one of the organizations that is part of the implementers of the HIV Project in Costa Rica, that seek to stop the progress of the epidemics in MSM and Trans women, carried out a new information, prevention and test campaign.
Dennis Castillo Corresponsales Clave
At the headquarters of the Asociación Manu activities were held on HIV prevention and care for gay men and other men that have sex with men, one of the most affected populations by the epidemic in Costa Rica. The activities became popular and on Tuesday, November 1st., with the joint participation of the Asociación Demografica Costarricense, a health day was developed, including rapid tests. Both organizations make up the alliance that executes the HIV Project funded by the Global Fund in the fight against Aids, tuberculosis and malaria.
MSM are convened through social networks with this message.
The purpose of these events or fairs is to promote health care and the HIV test in a safe and confidential manner, in a place that provides safety and confidentiality conditions.
Manu’s headquarters has welcoming areas that give confidence to the population. Young men interested in taking care of their health and in learning more about the topic attended the event. All attendees are received with cordiality.
The Project coordinator, Isabel Romero, told Corresponsales Clave that they have tried to carry out frequent activities in Manu, which, due to its location, is very convenient for people to get there. “We have private rooms to make the tests (…) we invite young boys that go to bars (young gay men) and also through social networks, said Romero. As part of the activity, in addition to information, condoms and lubricants are provided; tests are taken, providing counseling and delivering the results.
The heavy rain that afternoon at the San Jose center did not prevent dozens of gay men from getting to Manu to get their condoms kit; their interest to learn about their health condition and the desire to know more about prevention were notorious.
Allan Rivera, president of Asociación Manu, told us that the challenge for the population of men that have sex with other men is the access to the diagnosis test, thus the idea to get closer to the bars, socialization places of the target population, and to motivate the interest to have the test and provide access to it. Manu has carried out this type of activities in universities and other areas of the country.
“I learnt about the activity through Facebook, (…) I have seen an evolution in the activities compared to the Social Security Center, where they only give you the envelope, but there are no talks, whereas here they give you condoms, if there are doubts, they help you”, said a young man that was waiting for care and who chose not to give his name.
Another aspect highlighted by the attendees to the fair was that it is a place free of stigma where topics related to the infection are discussed without taboos, compared to other public places that are usually cold and where there is discrimination.
The development of this type of activities allows MSM to access a quick diagnosis to learn about their serological status in a comprehensive and confidential manner.
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