AIDSImpact.com:: - Santa Fe, USA 2011

Abstract #242 - Empowering MSM to engage in HIV prevention, treatment, care, support and research programmes
Authors: Presenting Author: Mrs. Florita Durueke - New HIV Vaccine and Microbicides Advocacy Society (NHVMAS)
Additional Authors: Dr. Morenike Ukpong, Mr. Kadiri Audu , Ms. Augustina Amuamuziam , Mrs. Aisha Adaranijo ,
Aim: To facilitate HIV prevention, treatment, care and research literacy amongst MSM – a hitherto unreached and potential research community for HIV treatment and prevention.
Method / Issue: Globally there is renewed interest in the use of ARV for HIV prevention and treatment related research and there is possibility of conducting these researches in Africa. For Africa including Nigeria, research literacy is known to be poor within potential research communities: research participants need to understand their rights, expectations from research and their obligations to studies. The MSM community is a potential research community for both HIV prevention and treatment. The 2007 Integrated Biological and Behavioural Sentinel Survey (IBBSS) showed that MSM had the second highest concentration of HIV populations (prevalence=13.5%) second to commercial sex workers. The MSM community is therefore a potential target for HIV treatment and biomedical prevention research especially with increasing interest in rectal microbicide and PrEP research.
Results / Comments: Five-days training workshop was held for MSM in Lagos State with support from the Lagos State AIDS control Agency. 25 MSMs and three non-MSM but critical stakeholders in addressing the right of MSM were reached. The workshop utilized a participatory approach, group works, role plays, brainstorming, discussions, demonstrations, question and answer sessions. The pre and post test analysis did show that there was an increase in understanding of HIV prevention, treatment, research and health rights issues amongst participants. Participants identified advocacy actions to be implemented with technical support from NHVMAS and IRMA Nigeria. The trainees were absorbed as peer educators into the research project of the Population Council Nigeria.
Discussion: MSM are faced with the challenge of living openly with their sexual identify and they as individual and as a group could move their right agenda forward. Having an MSM facilitate session allowed for opening and sharing of experiences among the participants. MSM are potential research community and faces double stigma when infected with HIV, It is imperative to create opportunities for trainings and public discussions on HIV prevention, treatment, care and research literacy for MSM.
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