It's not if, it's when: IRMA's Jim Pickett on Rectal Microbicides in Africa

Writing for  the September - December 2010 issue of Echoes, a publication of the Nigerian HIV Vaccine and Microbicide Advocacy Society, IRMA chair Jim Pickett discusses the need for rectal microbicides in Africa.

Excerpt:

Until recently, rectal microbicides have simply not been part of the HIV prevention agenda in Africa, due in part to the denial of anal sex among heterosexuals and pervasive homophobia and criminalization that has denied and vilified the existence of gay men/MSM.

IRMA diligently addresses these issues, leading efforts to put rectal microbicides on the African map. These efforts are now bearing fruit - due in no small part to the significant engagement of hundreds of African advocates across the continent and extraordinary leadership by IRMA Nigeria with Kadiri Audu, IRMA Community Vice Chair, at the helm.

Read the whole thing.

While you are there, be sure to also check out the report on a rectal microbicide training for MSMs in Abuja!

[If an item is not written by an IRMA member, it should not be construed that IRMA has taken a position on the article's content, whether in support or in opposition.]

New HIV Vaccine and Microbicide Advocacy Society releases new report on MSMs

The New HIV Vaccine and Microbicide Advocacy Society (NHVMAS) released its "Report on the 5 days training on HIV Prevention,Treatment, Research Literacy for MSMs" on March 29, 2010.

Read the whole report here.

Executive summary

A five days training for MSMs in Lagos on HIV prevention, treatment and research literacy was organised for 25 participants. The training ran for 5 days with 28 participants participating in the five days training.

Prior the training, a one day planning meeting was held between NHVMAS and IRMA on the 19th of March 2010. The meeting addressed selection of participants, venue of the training, timing of the training and facilitators. Email and telephone communications between NHVMAS, NARN, NACA and Population Council had also gone on for one week prior to the planning meeting date.

The NACA draft MSM training manual was used for the training. The training served as a pilot for the training manual. Lessons from the training would feed into the review process. At the end of the training, the pre and post test analysis showed that there was a significant improvement in knowledge and understanding about HIV as a whole. Most importantly, people did come to better understand the need to use condom consistently and correctly. The exercise of having trainees share information with peers and bring feedback on their peer outreach to the meeting also helped practically feed into the last session of the training meeting.

Lessons learnt include:

1. Focus of MSM training should emphasis on correct and consistent use of condoms. MSMs will always have multiple sexual partners for multiple identified reasons.

2. The use of peers as trainers also makes a lot of difference. Peers are able to identify with and share their own life experiences with the trainees. This helps to create an interactive environment and much more learning for the participants.

3. This training had VERY little didatic sessions. Having peers share made a significant difference to as everyone of them learnt from each other thereby enabling them see themselves as possible peer leaders.

4. Collaboration is possible and enriches programmes. NHVMAS collaboration with IRMA helped with reaching out to persons NHVMAS will not have hitherto being able to reach out too. Collaboration with NARN and Population Council also ensured that the training did not lead to a dead end – trainees will be absorbed into the Pop Council and NARN MSM peer education training programme in the Near future.