Access to HIV Services for Mobile and Migrant Populations in Antigua
Access to HIV Services for Mobile and Migrant Populations in Antigua
Access to HIV Services for Mobile and Migrant Populations in Antigua
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General Discussion <strong>and</strong> Conclusion<br />
This mapp<strong>in</strong>g exercise was <strong>in</strong>deed a very useful one <strong>and</strong> revealed a lot of <strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>mation.<br />
Some systems work well, some could be improved <strong>and</strong> some need <strong>to</strong> be <strong>to</strong>tally revamped.<br />
The NAP office <strong>in</strong> <strong>Antigua</strong> is quite accessible has well tra<strong>in</strong>ed staff <strong>and</strong> is quite active<br />
with its prevention program <strong>in</strong> the <strong>for</strong>m of street fairs, free test<strong>in</strong>g, community outreach,<br />
etc. Treatment has also been readily available from the Cl<strong>in</strong>ical Care Coord<strong>in</strong>a<strong>to</strong>r who<br />
works along with the NAP. The NAP is also supported by governmental organizations<br />
like the Gender Affairs Division, which works with vulnerable populations. Support also<br />
comes from a number of NGO’s – particularly CHAA <strong>and</strong> 3H who are very active<br />
<strong>and</strong> are almost ‘household’ names with<strong>in</strong> the migrant circles. Also active are other<br />
NGO’s like WAR who has limited resources <strong>and</strong> ABHAN who caters <strong>to</strong> a specific<br />
population, but their support is noticeable.<br />
While there has been some media appearances by staff of the NAP office <strong>and</strong> the Cl<strong>in</strong>ical<br />
Care coord<strong>in</strong>a<strong>to</strong>r, the media could be more utilized as a means of educat<strong>in</strong>g the public<br />
about <strong>HIV</strong> <strong>and</strong> AIDS. There is still a lot of public misconception about <strong>HIV</strong> <strong>and</strong> AIDS<br />
<strong>and</strong> some persons, even <strong>in</strong> the healthcare profession still use the terms casually <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>terchangeably, so that one frequently heard the phrase “catch AIDS”. Many persons<br />
still th<strong>in</strong>k that a person had <strong>to</strong> have been liv<strong>in</strong>g an abnormal or “loose” lifestyle <strong>to</strong> have<br />
contracted the <strong>HIV</strong> virus; hence they seem <strong>to</strong> view vulnerable persons or clients with<br />
some degree of distaste. Aga<strong>in</strong>, while speak<strong>in</strong>g with stakeholders, it was not uncommon<br />
<strong>to</strong> hear them refer <strong>to</strong> vulnerable migrants as “those people” <strong>and</strong> on more than one<br />
occasion the question was asked, “Why don’t they just go back <strong>to</strong> their home?” It was<br />
clear from speak<strong>in</strong>g with the Stakeholder organizations that <strong>in</strong> many <strong>in</strong>stances, stigma<br />
<strong>and</strong> discrim<strong>in</strong>ation aga<strong>in</strong>st migrants <strong>and</strong> vulnerable populations <strong>and</strong> <strong>to</strong>wards <strong>HIV</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
AIDS starts at the <strong>to</strong>p with management.<br />
Another area of underutilization is the district cl<strong>in</strong>ics <strong>and</strong> health centers. Consider<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
placement <strong>in</strong> the various areas around the isl<strong>and</strong>, if properly utilized, they could be a hub<br />
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