Kakua Hospice in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the National HIV and AIDS Secretariat (NAS) with funding from Global Fund has successfully completed a five-day training for healthcare workers and community health workers in the Southern Region on human rights, HIV\TB, the Vulnerable and Key populations at the Bo city Growth Centre from 7th -11th December, 2023.

The goal of the training was to equip Healthcare workers with knowledge and skills to enable them provide healthcare services that adequately support and cater for the unique healthcare needs of HIV\TB, the Vulnerable and Key affected populations.
The Kakua Hospice has been advocating for the key affected populations to minimize discrimination, stigma and limited access to care and treatment in various communities in order to help change these realities and to make the world a better place for people living with HIV.

Giving an overview about the training, the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of Kakua Hospice, Maurice M. Sannoh, reiterated that HIV is a global epidemic that affects people of all ages, races and sexual orientations, noting that the healthcare workers have critical role to play in minimizing the spread of HIV. The training of twenty-two (22) healthcare workers, he said, would raise more awareness about the essence of prevention, treatment and human rights of the key affected populations, though promoting policies and programmes that support people living with the virus is key.

Mr. Sannoh said adherence is one of the challenges in the fight against the HIV response, and healthcare workers should be looking for appropriate approaches to engage positive cases to accept their status, noting that the healthcare workers should refrain from shaming, discrimination and stigma.

The Monitoring and Evaluation Officer admonished the healthcare workers to do no harm to the key affected populations, promote the full protection of all people’s human rights, respect their right to self-determination and the right of all survivors of violence to the full range of recommending services to also protect their confidentiality and informed consent.

He said the Healthcare Workers could help reduce stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV: “This is important because stigma and discrimination can prevent people from seeking testing, treatment, and support services, he said”

The Lead Facilitator of training, James Patrick Magbity, who is also the Regional Coordinator of the National HIV and AIDS Secretariat (NAS), said the training would address issues relating to HIV\TB, Human Rights, and the Vulnerable and Key affected populations, who are commercial sex workers, gays, drug addicts and transgender.

He said the key populations are carrying the high burden of the epidemic, so leaving them behind the HIV response would not be effective, especially when the country is working towards the global target of testing 95% of its population by 2030.

“During the 95% testing, the positive patients should be put on treatment to beat HIV, and suppress the viral load in their bodies,” avers James Patrick Magbity.

The Regional Coordinator said the Healthcare Workers are mostly interfacing with the key affected populations; therefore, they should embrace them by respecting their human rights because if they are discriminated or stigmatized, they will stop coming for treatment and that will affect the HIV response and it will increase the spread. He added that the healthcare workers should maintain confidentiality at all time.

Mr. Magbity noted that Bo city and Moyamba are part of the seven high burden districts in the HIV response, pointing out that citizens should go for their test to know their status as the country wants to test over 98% of its populations.

Stigma and discrimination, he noted, remain significant barriers to the HIV response, adding that fear and misinformation of HIV can lead to discrimination against those living with HIV, making it more difficult to promote effective prevention and treatment efforts.

Advocacy efforts can help educate the public about the realities of living with HIV and dispel myths and misconceptions.