UNODC participates in the evaluation seminar of the project "Live Better by Knowing"

 

Brasília, 07 April, 2015 - "The project Live Better by Knowing represents an innovative strategy that has been increasing the access to HIV diagnosis on populations that are historically left behind in the answer of the HIV/AIDS epidemics", said the Health and Development Programme Officer of the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Brazil, Nara Santos, during the opening ceremony of the Live better knowing Evaluation Seminar that is happening on April 7 and 8 in Brasília.

The event is dedicated to the evaluation of subprojects executions developed by the STD, AIDS, and Viral Hepatitis Department (DDAHV) of the Brazilian Ministry of Health.

The project "Live Better by Knowing" is the result of a partnership between the Ministry of Health and civil society organizations of Brazil. The goal of the project is to apply the oral fluid fast test diagnosis among the key populations. The evaluation has the participation of all the NGOs involved in the methodology, in addition to the states and municipals STD/AIDS, and Viral Hepatitis government coordinators from the localities where the subprojects were implemented.

During the opening ceremony the director of DDAHV, Fabio Mesquita, summarized the Brazilian scenario in the answer to the HIV/AIDS epidemics where the project "Live Better by Knowing" is presented as part of a bigger Brazilian project goal, which aims to overcome the pre-stablished goal by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) of having more than 90% of its affected population being diagnosed by 2020.

The director of UNAIDS Brazil, Georgiana Braga-Orillard, also attended the opening ceremony. "Only by focusing on the most vulnerable population that we will be able to reach the 90-90-90 goal, working not only in providing easy access to healthcare services, but also intensifying the fight against any kind of discrimination".

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Amplify the HIV voluntary testing to people vulnerable to the virus is crucial to give an effective response to the epidemics and to interrupt the virus spread, avoiding mortality through early health assistance.

Trying to make this a reality, in 2014, the DDAHV launched a selection process in order to select NGOs working with key populations and HIV/AIDS to participate on a testing project - man who have sex with men, gays, transsexuals, travesties, sex professionals and people who use drugs.

Named "Live Better by Knowing", the project uses HIV oral fluid tests, which produces quick results in about 30 minutes or less. The test was regulated on December 18, 2013 and the NGOs were trained to apply the tests through workshops.

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