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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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use of <strong>in</strong>travenous drugs. She states that one of the high risk groups <strong>in</strong>clude men who have sex with<br />

men (MSM) <strong>and</strong> youth.<br />

However the CAREC BSS <strong>in</strong> the OECS countries confirm that there are a number of highly<br />

stigmatized practices <strong>in</strong> the Caribbean (e.g., same-sex sexual activity, multiple sex partnerships<br />

among women, transactional/commercial sex, etc.) as a result, it is likely that those practices are<br />

under-reported.<br />

<strong>HIV</strong> <strong>and</strong> AIDS Care<br />

The Behavioural Surveillance Surveys (BSS) conducted by CAREC <strong>and</strong> FHI (March 2007) <strong>in</strong><br />

2005-2006 <strong>in</strong> the Six Countries of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) show that<br />

among the General Population ( 15-24 <strong>and</strong> 25-49 years old), the M<strong>in</strong>i Bus <strong>and</strong> Taxi Drivers <strong>and</strong> the<br />

<strong>in</strong>-School Youth 10-14 years old have made the follow<strong>in</strong>g Key recommendations:<br />

1. Universal access <strong>to</strong> the latest technology <strong>in</strong> condoms <strong>and</strong> other commodities (e.g.,<br />

lubricants), with particular emphasis on access <strong>for</strong> young people <strong>and</strong> hard-<strong>to</strong>-reach<br />

population groups.<br />

2. There is also a need <strong>to</strong> <strong>in</strong>crease anonymous condom availability e.g., <strong>in</strong> workplace<br />

bathrooms, hotel rooms, airport bathrooms, shopp<strong>in</strong>g malls, etc. through means such as<br />

condom vend<strong>in</strong>g mach<strong>in</strong>es.<br />

3. Innovative service delivery models <strong>for</strong> <strong>HIV</strong> test<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> counsell<strong>in</strong>g<br />

4. There is a particular need <strong>to</strong> identify ‘gatekeepers’ <strong>and</strong> op<strong>in</strong>ion leaders that impact on youth<br />

access <strong>to</strong> <strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>mation, commodities, <strong>and</strong> services<br />

The 2010 UNGASS report specify that no other BSS study have been conducted s<strong>in</strong>ce the<br />

CAREC/FHI one, so there are no new data available<br />

An International Office of Migration (IOM) sem<strong>in</strong>ar was conducted <strong>in</strong> 2004 <strong>and</strong> the ma<strong>in</strong> <strong>to</strong>pics<br />

surrounded the issue of migrant <strong>and</strong> mobile populations as it relates <strong>to</strong> health care. The follow<strong>in</strong>g<br />

general statistics were published on the Caribbean:<br />

<br />

Fewer than one <strong>in</strong> four people at risk of <strong>in</strong>fection are able <strong>to</strong> obta<strong>in</strong> basic <strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>mation<br />

30

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