2. USAID STRENGTHENING THE CARE CONTINUUM PROJECT (The Care Continuum)
Provision of free STI treatment critical for increasing HIV testing rates in men who have sex with men in Ghana
09 May, 2018

3. Authors: Affiliation:
S. E. Owusu1, G. Ekem-Ferguson1, M. K. A. Owusu1, S. Wosornu1, T. Waimar4, G. Kwofie2, H. Nagai3, S. Maher3
1Maritime Life Precious Foundation
2West Africa AIDS Foundation; Takoradi,
3JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc.
4Population Council
Authors: Affiliation:

4. Outline
Issue
Description
Lessons Learned
Next steps

5. Issue
In screening MSM for STIs in Ghana using the USAID Strengthening the Care Continuum Project implemented by JSI data, many MSM were diagnosed with various STIs.
Unfortunately, screening often ends with the provision of prescription without the actual attainment of the treatment due to lack of funds by the project to support them coupled with the high cost of STI drugs.

6. Issue contd.
This abstract reports on the uptake of STI services and completion of referrals as well as HIV testing service uptake (HTS) as a result of providing MSM with free STI treatment.
Maritime Life Precious Foundation (MLPF) is a nonprofit and Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) working in the
Regions of operation:
Central, Greater Accra, Western and Eastern Regions of Ghana
Area of work:
HIV/STI Intervention Programmes
Target population:
Key Population (KPs) particularly among MSM.

7. Maritime Life Precious Foundation (MLPF), under the USAID Strengthening the Care Continuum project, implemented by JSI Research and Training Institute Inc. signed a memorandum of understanding with West Africa AIDS foundation (WAAF) in the Sekondi- Takoradi Metropolis who had funding in STI management to provide free STI treatment for MSM at our Drop-in-Center (DIC) as well as their facility.
Peer educators referred MSM for STI screening and treatment services and informed them about the availability of free STI drugs at MLPF’s DIC and the WAAF facility.
Description

8. Lesson learned

9. Lessons learned contd.

10. Lesson learned contd.

11. MSM receiving HIV testing services upon receiving free STI treatment

12. Lesson learned contd.
The provision of free STI testing with free STI treatment was critical in improving STI treatment completion rate as well as increasing HIV testing among MSM.

13. Next Steps
The provision of free STI treatment for MSM is essential; hence, the government of Ghana should consider it as a strategy to increase STI treatment completion rates and HIV testing rates among this population.
This subgroup of MSM infected with various STIs is likely to have higher HIV prevalence than those not infected with STIs; hence this approach of providing free STI treatment may help in identifying more HIV positive MSM.

14. Thank you