Let's Talk Integrated HIV/SRHR/SGBV/TB Community Outreach
On the 14th of May 2022, the Let's Talk Community Outreach was conducted at Nakaloke Town Council in Mbale City's Northern City Division. Let's Talk 2022 is a project of Elite Youth Uganda, which is carried out in collaboration with Mbale Network of Young People Living with HIV, National Youth Council, Reproductive Health Uganda, and Azida Foundation, Uganda Scouts. Mbale Network of Young People Living with HIV takes the lead in HIV focused counseling, testing, and linkage. PrEP, PEP, and condom education and distribution were among the HIV preventive services provided. The outreach's aims were as follows: 1. Assist UNAIDS in achieving its 9 95 95 goals of eliminating HIV by 2030 by conducting targeted HIV testing. 2. To dispel myths and misconceptions about sexual reproductive health services and rights, which obstruct demand, uptake, and usage. • AGYWs are unaware of existing HIV preventive methods like as PrEP and PEP. As the Mbale Network of Young People Living with HIV, we want to engage with Elite to conduct additional community outreaches targeting people who are most vulnerable to HIV. • During the peer-to-peer sessions, young people expressed worries about being allergic to condoms, which causes them to have unprotected sex, implying that more condom education is needed to dispel myths and encourage individuals to use condoms. • During the discussion, the Executive Director of the Mbale Network of Young Individuals Living with HIV urged people to take advantage of the opportunity to learn about their HIV status. Our community connection peers connected 45 adolescent girls and young women, as well as adolescent boys and young men, to HIV counseling and testing services. 3 of those who tested positive were sent to Nakaloke HCIII and Mbale Regional Referral Hospital. A peer qualified midwife guided 65 young women through a family planning session, with 25 taking sayana press, 20 condoms, and 2 being referred to Reproductive Health Uganda for long-term family planning techniques. Our peer supporters also linked 20 young women who were eligible for PrEP to TASO. Our Village Health Team is made up of five members. We are grateful to the District Health Office, which has always provided us with supplies and technical assistance, as well as regional implementing partner Baylor Uganda and our partner organizations Uganda Network of Young People Living with HIV (UNYPA), HOPE Mbale, TASO Mbale, and Uganda Youth and Adolescent Health Forum partners (UYAHF)
