Yesterday, my HIV AIDS Program and the rest of Peace Corps Ecuador joined people around the globe in observing World AIDS Day – El Día Mundial de la Lucha contra SIDA. Started in 1988, this important day celebrates the progress made in the battle against the HIV/AIDS pandemic while focusing attention on the many remaining challenges.
World AIDS Day
My first solo initiated event as a Peace Corps volunteer was very successful! I organized a Casa Abierta (open house) on the Malecon promoting the HIV test and educating on HIV AIDS prevention. With the help of my counterpart Dr. Farhat, I was able to get a permit from the Fundación Malecon 2000 in order to host the casa abierta. I set up a table with educational pamphlets, HIV/AIDS red ribbons, condoms and posters. I also created educational pamphlets on 1) What is HIV? 2) What is AIDS? 3) How to use a condom and each handout provided information on where to get tested for HIV.
Día Mundial de la Lucha contra el SIDA
Both my roommates Michelle and Caitlin and another PCV Morgan supported me by helping set up for the event and passing out materials / condoms to the public. Caitlin’s coworkers at the maternity hospital designed two condom costumes that we used during our open house. Both Michelle and Caitlin danced around in the condom costumes saying “¡¡Usame!!” (use me). We were all dying laughing watching them interact with the public. One man even wanted to take a picture with Michelle in her condom costume!
Caitlin passing out materials
Michelle inside the condom costume (I appolgize that the costume resembles a KKK hood....the costume was created by an Ecuadorian)
Morgan, Caitlin, Me and Michelle
Overall, a very successful event! I plan to host a Casa Abierta similar to this each month to provide awareness to the public of Guayaquil.
The Peace Corps has responded to the need for assistance in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic and has played a crucial and integral role in many countries’ efforts aimed at combating HIV/AIDS. As a PCV, I am proud that the Peace Corps is a key participant in the global effort to prevent the spread of the pandemic and to care for those affected by HIV and AIDS.
Some great news in the HIV/AIDS field…..at the end of November, The New England Journal of Medicine published a study nicknamed iPrEx, which found that healthy gay men taking Truvada, a common combination of two antiretroviral drugs, were 44 percent less likely to get infected with the HIV virus that causes AIDS than an equal number taking a placebo. The study included, 2,499 men in six countries — Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, South Africa, Thailand and the United States — after reading the full study, I discovered that 300 of the participants were selected from Guayaquil! I was talking to another HIV /AIDS volunteer (Mike Close), and he said that a few of the patients from the study are part of his support group at the Red Cross.
It’s been quite the year (plus a month) for HIV prevention research. That glimmer of hope from the Thai vaccine trial. The striking effect of HIV-treatment as prevention with the iPrEx Study. The positive results of the CAPRISA vaginal microbicide study, which were presented this summer in Vienna at the International AIDS Conference….. some great news!!
Posters donated by the Red Cross for the Casa Abierta
