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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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on vacation where they would be able <strong>to</strong> get free or cheaper medical care. When<br />

asked about MSJMC, they all said they had no <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> go<strong>in</strong>g there, unless it<br />

was an emergency.<br />

3- Where are the places/spots that you feel com<strong>for</strong>table hang<strong>in</strong>g out?<br />

All of the ladies said most of their free time was spent at home (<strong>in</strong> their personal<br />

space) as they worked all night <strong>and</strong> sometimes they were tired dur<strong>in</strong>g the day.<br />

Some hung out where they worked <strong>and</strong> would just sit <strong>in</strong> the club <strong>to</strong> relax. Some of<br />

the other places they went out <strong>to</strong> were the movies, bars, boat cruise <strong>and</strong> one young<br />

lady said she enjoyed shopp<strong>in</strong>g. She specifically mentioned that she liked go<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>in</strong><strong>to</strong> the Ch<strong>in</strong>ese s<strong>to</strong>res s<strong>in</strong>ce th<strong>in</strong>gs were cheap there <strong>to</strong> look around <strong>and</strong> she also<br />

enjoyed buy<strong>in</strong>g “sexy clothes”.<br />

4- Which health care providers give good care?<br />

None of the ladies mentioned the hospital; all of them mentioned Caribbean <strong>HIV</strong><br />

<strong>and</strong> AIDS Alliance (CHAA) as be<strong>in</strong>g supportive. It was surpris<strong>in</strong>g that they<br />

mentioned CHAA <strong>in</strong> the context of health care as that organization is an NGO <strong>and</strong><br />

not a health care provider. When asked, they mentioned that the CHAA workers<br />

are persons who could identify with them. CHAA gave them free condoms <strong>and</strong><br />

the outreach workers have offered <strong>to</strong> accompany them <strong>to</strong> the doc<strong>to</strong>r if they needed<br />

<strong>to</strong> go. They seemed <strong>to</strong> equate those services with good care. A few also<br />

mentioned the AIDS secretariat. When asked what was good about the Secretariat<br />

office, they stated that they gave free <strong>HIV</strong> test<strong>in</strong>g, free condoms <strong>and</strong> that they<br />

believed them <strong>to</strong> be confidential. One mentioned go<strong>in</strong>g there about four months<br />

after she came <strong>to</strong> <strong>Antigua</strong> <strong>and</strong> was surprised that the lady that greeted her there<br />

gave her a warm smile. She was not expect<strong>in</strong>g that as she had heard from another<br />

worker that <strong>Antigua</strong>ns did not like <strong>for</strong>eigners. As mentioned be<strong>for</strong>e, most of the<br />

participants did not access much health care because of the high cost of private<br />

health care <strong>and</strong> their perception that Mount St. John’s Medical Centre (the<br />

country’s ma<strong>in</strong> hospital) was mostly <strong>for</strong> emergency care<br />

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