Socios En Salud in coordination with the Ministry of Health implements strategies focused on screening, diagnosis, treatment and accompaniment of people living with HIV that connect sexual health services with the population.
77% of women between the ages of 15 and 49 use some contraceptive method. Despite being free of charge, 45.5% of them discontinued their use during the first year of the pandemic caused by the COVID-19, harming around 56 445 women of childbearing age who were receiving uninterrupted modern contraceptives (condoms, oral contraceptives and injectables) in public health services, a figure that in turn impacts family planning needs, according to the Demographic and Family Health Survey (ENDES) of 2020.
According to the new report published by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria revealed that HIV diagnostic tests dropped by 22% and prevention and treatment programs reached 11% less of the population, due to limitations for access and supply of sexual health services to carry out diagnostic processes and follow-up of HIV infection cases due to COVID-19.
To this is added the fear of people to go to health centers for fear of catching COVID-19 or being stigmatized if they present symptoms of cough and fever that could also be cases of tuberculosis.
Obstetrician and coordinator of the HIV project of the Community Health Program of Socios En Salud, Erika Gonzales emphasized the need to decentralize health services that provide antiretroviral treatment in the context of the health emergency due to COVID-19. “It is an epidemic with low prevalence in the general population, but with greater impact on vulnerable populations such as transgender women (TM) and men who have sex with men (MSM). So it is necessary to implement strategies that bring health services closer to the most vulnerable,” he detailed.
This is my story and I am here to tell it!
“I didn’t expect it, it was definitely a very strong blow, but I knew there was no turning back. It was time to worry about me.”
Carlos* is 39 years old and three years ago he left unfinished dreams, part of his family and a country in crisis: Venezuela. In the hope of achieving a better future he arrived in Peru and began working as a business administrator in a Fast Food; however, shortly after he was fired for lack of immigration documents.
As time went on, getting work for him became a daily challenge as job opportunities became more and more distant. In turn, fear and despair gripped him. Carlos is father and mother to his two younger siblings. So sitting idle was not an option, so he decided to start his own business and help his family.
”I wake up at 5:00 a.m. with the intention of finding fresh, good quality fruit at the wholesale market. Quickly, in the middle of the sidewalk in front of a school I set up a stand based on crates and I make it a point to sell as much produce as possible,” he shared.
Carlos applied all his knowledge in administration, so the business went very well, until the COVID-19 pandemic arrived. At that time, due to quarantine compliance, he was unable to continue his business.
As the opening of the business was reactivated, Carlos continued to sell fruit. The economic situation was improving for him and his entire family. However, less than a month ago, when he was on his way to deliver some additional products for distribution, he was approached by peer educators from the urban mobile brigade, a vehicle equipped for HIV screening, counseling on the prevention of sexually transmitted infections and condom delivery. This mobile brigade travels through different districts of North Lima, including Rimac, San Martin de Porres and Los Olivos, the exact place where Carlos was passing through.
At that moment, Carlos remembered that one of his contacts died of this disease, it was then that he decided to get tested for HIV, because he was aware that at some point that person was part of his sex life.
“Approximately 12 minutes passed (duration of the HIV screening test) and I received the news with a reactive result for HIV. I definitely wasn’t expecting it. It was a huge shock, but I knew there was no turning back. It was time to worry about me,” she said.
To date, although Carlos is in the process of accepting the disease, he knows that it is not stronger than him. For this reason, he goes to the Centro de Referencia de Infecciones de Infecciones de TransmisiĂłn Sexual VIH/SIDA (CERITSS) of the Centro Materno Infantil MĂ©xico located in the district of San MartĂn de Porres for the start of his treatment in the infectious disease and mental health services.
Let fear not stop you!
Like Carlos, many people live with HIV/AIDS and have no symptoms; however, because they are not identified in a timely manner, their defenses are weakened and they are exposed to various opportunistic infections or other complications. In addition, viral load levels increase and they continue to transmit the disease. Therefore, the initiation of a timely and appropriate treatment is important.
According to the National Center for Epidemiology, Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) reported 4839 cases of HIV infection in 2020, of which 42.2% (2038) are concentrated in Metropolitan Lima. Given this situation, in order to strengthen health systems in screening, diagnosis, treatment, follow-up and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, Socios En Salud through its Community Health Program in coordination with the Strategy for the Prevention and Control of STIs, HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis of the DirecciĂłn de Redes Integradas de Salud Lima Norte, of the Ministry of Health implements the active search system for key and migrant populations through the delivery of fourth generation rapid HIV tests, donation of equipment and construction of care modules for the CERITSS Mexico, support in the active search for cases of tuberculosis (TB) with GenXpert testing through the TB MĂłvil project, delivery of isoniazid tablets for the initiation of TB preventive treatment, mental health care, and social support as needed.
”I was impressed with how fast the process went. It was only a few days later and I had already started treatment. This strategy should be replicated for the care of other health problems. In my case, if I had not been approached by this mobile, I would not have gone to the health facility to be screened for HIV due to different factors such as time, lack of knowledge, among others,”Carlos said.
Gonzáles stressed the importance of bringing health systems closer to the population, as timely diagnosis allows access and better health outcomes, in addition to reducing the risk of transmission to others. “Through the urban mobile brigades we strengthen the active search for people living with HIV (PLHIV) and accompany the patient for linkage at the health center and initiation of antiretroviral treatment. We not only focus on clinical care, but also ensure mental health care and the necessary socioeconomic support to address the disease in a comprehensive manner,” he detailed.
Carlos currently follows all the doctor’s instructions and is very responsible with the administration of his medication and treatment, as he is aware that achieving adherence to treatment is the key to maintaining his physical and mental wellness.
”Lose the fear, life goes on. If in doubt or not, get tested by way of prevention. Diseases strike and sometimes it can be too late. Let fear not stop you!”, she shared.
The reproductive behavior of adolescents represents a great social and economic impact in the short and medium term in the development of the country, as they make up the next generation that will participate in an integral and active way in society. Therefore, from Socios En Salud we will continue contributing to the reduction of morbidity and mortality of sexually transmitted diseases. Let’s live a safe and responsible sexual life! We invite you to learn more about our work here
*People who provided testimony for this report requested to keep their last names confidential. Some, too, asked to change their names to avoid being identified.