2008

UALE - Prevention, control and treatment of infections of sexually transmitted (STI/HIV) in Escuintla (Guatemala) and MANGUA - Management of antiretroviral in Guatemala

The context

In 1984 was the first case of HIV/AIDS in Guatemala. The situation of STIs, and specially HIV/AIDS in this country has sustained growth, and according to the latest report of reporting of cases of AIDS of the Ministry of Health, in March 2007 10.304 cases were reported., Escuintla, Guatemala, has become the most affected department by the disease.

LaThe activity of the AIDS Foundation and Society was launched through the AIDS Barcelona’s Foundation 2002 due to the XIV International Conference of AIDS in Barcelona 2002. From that moment two Projects of International Cooperation were started, one in Guatemala and one in Senegal.

The project to evaluate

The UALE Project –Integral Project for the Prevention, Control and Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI/HIV) in Escuintla (Guatemala)- began in 2004 as part of an agreement between the AIDS 2002 Barcelona Foundation and the Ministry of health of Guatemala (MSPAS). Initially designed to strengthen the response of the national HIV/AIDS programme in one of the groups most affected by the epidemic of AIDS –the commercial sex workers- the Project gave support to the health centres in Santa Lucía, Escuintla and Puerto San José. Later the project has incorporated new elements, as the extension services to the general population and other affected populations, or the component of medical care to victims of violence sexual.

The MANGUA Project -Management of antiretrovirals in Guatemala- wants to give technical support to the MSPAS and to the two referral hospitals in Guatemala City for the development of a software application for monitoring and evaluation the antiretroviral therapy as well as support its management and analysis. Among other things, the initiative has the support of the Group CEESCAT (Centre of epidemiological studies on the AIDS/HIV/STD of Catalonia) and its experience in the management of a cohort of HIV-positive patients in Catalonia.