Access to HIV Services for Mobile and Migrant Populations in Antigua

and MSM’s are referred to Directorate of Gender Affairs- Government, Division of
Labour – Government, Red Cross, Lions Club and Rotary Club.
Caribbean HIV and AIDS Alliance (CHAA)
Newgate Street
The Caribbean HIV and AIDS Alliance office has been in Antigua for four years and
offers services for prevention and education for persons at risk of becoming HIV+. They
provide Information, education and communication (IEC) materials, and also
commodities (dental dams -a piece of rubber or plastic used as a barrier between the
mouth and the female genital when performing oral sex, condoms and lubricant). The
target population includes commercial sex workers, persons involved in transactional sex,
men who have sex with men who include openly gay, bisexual men, men who are “on the
down low” and transgendered men. All services are free whether the person is Antigua or
part of the migrant population.
Clients are not required to give their names as a unique identifier code is used.
Staff and outreach volunteers that are recruited as peers of the target population and most
have a background in working with the particular population. They are trained in
Diversity and cultural competence and some of the staff is trained in VCT. HIV testing is
not done at the office, but staff and outreach workers sometimes accompany clients to get
tested.
They do have Spanish speaking staff and offer mobile services where they go into the
community – the bars, clubs, brothels and other areas where members of the vulnerable
populations might be found. While they work in St. John’s, mobile services have
extended as far as English Harbour, Jolly Harbour, Cedar Gove, Liberta and New
Winthropes. Focus group discussions are conducted with clients to get feedback on the
efficiency and usefulness of their services and based on the feedback; they use the
information to be able to make improvements.
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