Expand and Increase access to HIV/AIDS testing and counseling options in Rio de Janeiro and Recife


Implementing partner

• Pact Brazil

While the Brazilian National STD & AIDS Program has made enormous strides towards controlling HIV transmission, HIV still disproportionately affects gay men, MSM and transvestites. Studies have shown that gay men and MSM have an 18 times higher risk of being HIV positive than the general population in Latin America. One of the main priorities of the Brazilian National STD & AIDS Program's new "National Plan to Address HIV/AIDS among Gays, MSM, and Transvestites" is to encourage use and expand access to HIV counseling and testing among these groups.

USAID/Brazil, in partnership with the CDC Global AIDS Program (GAP) Brazil, will collaborate with the Brazilian National AIDS Program to scale-up and diversify strategies to encourage more gay men, MSM and transvestites to seek HIV diagnosis and counseling, by offering alternative testing and counseling options, including introducing use of the rapid test. The expected results of the project are: 1) To increase HIV counseling and testing rates and coverage for socially excluded gays, MSM, and transvestites.; 2) To increase the number of people from the target groups who received their test results and received counseling; and 3) To strengthen linkages among gays, MSM and transvestite communities and the local public health care system(s).

The project will be implemented by Pact Brasil at strategic sites within the metropolitan centers of Rio de Janeiro and Recife, with the close support and collaboration of the Brazilian National HIV/AIDS and STD Program, state and municipal HIV programs, CDC GAP/Brazil, and key community-based organizations to ensure high levels of technical expertise, contextual relevance, and sustainability. Activities will include use of mobile and internet technologies as key communication channels to disseminate behavior change and communication messages.