P13-04. HIV positive women empowerment is equal to hiv prevalence reduction

Background

Until recently, HIV prevention efforts mainly targeted individuals at risk of HIV Infection. However, HIV positive persons require knowledge and support so that they can protect self and others from re-infection and infection respectively. All individuals enrolled in our program are now being encouraged to adopt the prevention with positives strategy. Health providers maintain dialogue about prevention knowledge and plans and assist individuals to practice prevention irrespective of being in concordant or discordant relationships.

Methods

All HIV positive individuals over 12 years old attending MCH clinic are targeted and their sexual life evaluated. The individuals with no sex partners are taught on the importance of using condoms in future. The ones with sexual partner/s with unknown HIV status/HIV negative are requested to bring their partners for testing/re-testing and prevention messages. Discordant couples are encouraged to reinforce prevention and to join support groups and those infected referred to our care program.

Results

Five hundred patients were interviewed, 137 did not have current sex partners while 263 promised to bring their partners for HIV testing. Among those tested, 94 have turned out concordant, 86 discordant and 83 are yet to bring their partners for testing due to non-disclosure. 60% of the 83 who have not brought their partners are single women but have married men as their sex partners. 30% are married women. Both not use condoms citing fear of desertion and loss of financial support. The remaining 10% are men who are reluctant to disclose to their sex partners hoping they will become pregnant and be screened for HIV at the ante natal clinic.

Conclusion

HIV positive women are not disclosing their status due to fear of desertion and financial instability. Strategies that address poverty in addition to empowering women to negotiate condom use are urgently required.