EL PAÍS story
The lack of funding has left some 15,000 users of NGO programs scrambling for care in a public system that many fear to enter.
According to UNAIDS data, more than 4,500 health workers nationwide, including 247 nurses and 1,600 diagnostic assistants, have lost their jobs as US funding dried up. Many focused on bridging gaps between formal clinics and marginalized communities.
Programs providing PrEP, antiretroviral therapy adherence support and stigma-reduction initiatives were designed specifically for marginalized communities whose interaction with the health system is often shaped by fear and discrimination.
Studies, including Malawi’s stigma index, have consistently shown high levels of social hostility toward LGBTQ+ people, making specialized outreach indispensable. Without dedicated funding streams, prevention efforts risk reverting to “generic models that fail to reach those most vulnerable.”
“If indeed we don’t have resources, we are putting these groups at greater risk. We might see increased HIV incidence in the next few years. HIV can only be contained in these groups if they are reached.”
Read the full story here.
Source : EL PAÍS
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