SOMOSGAY holds a meeting with the director of the National Program for Control of HIV, AIDS and STI of the Ministry of Health (PRONASIDA).
During the meeting, Simon Cazal of SOMOSGAY presented to Dr. Nicolas Aguayo a series of concrete proposals for work in improving HIV prevention, AIDS and STIs. About it, Dr. Aguayo appreciated the approach of SOMOSGAY, highlighting the PRONASIDA’s commitment to provide all support necessary to the strengthening of SOMOSGAY, emphasizing the need to consider projects and activities to improve and expand the national response given to the HIV pandemic in their country.
At another point, Dr. Nicolás Aguayo express a favorable opinion on the idea of improving men’s access to health services, stressing that gender equality will only be achieved most effectively involving the men not only to services health but also to the tasks the equality’s goal raises.
Both representatives broadly discussed some concrete ideas on expanding the demand for voluntary testing and counselling services, monitoring patients with HIV and to improve early consultation HIV patients so as to prevent the development of AIDS in them. The Director of PRONASIDA stressed that services are currently being improved and extended, waiting for the demand of the public also increase.
At another point SOMOSGAY raised the need for the Paraguayan State increases the resources invested in the national response to HIV, reducing dependence on foreign cooperation in this key point. Currently, Paraguay relies on more than 60% of its efforts against HIV, in cooperation from external sources. SOMOSGAY offered its support to the tasks necessary to make this point to be serviced by other tiers of government should be involved.
A point highlights from this improvement is the availability of a series of clinical studies that will improve the medication of patients with HIV, thanks to the hematograma, a medical study for determining the best combination of TARV medications and thus improve the body’s response to the virus, keeping patient healthy.
The Director of PRONASIDA expressed its willingness to sign an agreement to work together with SOMOSGAY, so to frame the series of tasks presented by the entity to improve the overall health of LGBT people, in this case, in the specific area of HIV, AIDS and STIs.
The outcome of the meeting was well received by members and associates of SOMOSGAY, who hope to see fulfill other commitments made by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in the other areas covered by SOMOSGAY on its work
SOMOSGAY will maintain an approach to government instances that are necessary in fulfilling its mission to improve the quality of life of the Paraguayan citizen, with emphasis on LGBT citizens.
