[D11073] The Out reach Services for MSM provided by ODPUP

14th International AIDS Conference

Barcelona, Spain — July 7-12, 2002

[TITLE:] The Out reach Services for MSM provided by ODPUP - a situation analysis in Dhaka City

[AUTHOR(S):] M. Fakir¹

Int Conf AIDS. 2002 Jul 7-12;14:Abstract No. D11073

[ABSTRACT:] Description: The Male to male sex behavior in Bangladesh is considered to be a stigma and also a non-cognizable offense (section 377 under Bangladesh penal code ), hence very few people are willing to talk about the health problems emerging out of their Male to male sex behavior.. Due to this reason, their various needs like right knowledge pertaining to homosexual behavior and safe sex, counseling and treatment for STI are difficult to meet with in the normal system of health care.

Organization of Development program for the underprivileged (ODPUP) recognized the specific need of the MSM community and thus a unique outreach service was chalked out for the benefit MSM community. In this regard the peer educators were selected from the community itself to do the out reach activity which is removed any doubt regarding fear or subjective judgement. The peer educator who were familiar with the language, culture of MSM community and cruising venue were able to reach to a large number of people in last one year.

Beside this the people even doctors misunderstand especially anal complications/anal STI. There is no enough Picture chart of various anal STIs and their conditions.

Lesson learnt: Counseling has been effective. Doctor's non-judgmental behave is help full to openness.

Recommendation: 1. Need to be design training on Syndromic Management of Anal STIs/complications for both doctors and out reach workers. 2. Picture Chart of Anal complications can be produced.

Presenting author: Md. Elias Fakir

1ODPUP, 22, Dilu road, New Eskaton (GF), Dhaka -1000, Bangladesh.

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D11073