63,000 people in Sierra Leone are estimated to be infected with HIV. Only 36% of this population know that they are affected. Furthermore, the bulk of the infected population is found among key populations with over 50% being infected.
According the National Aids Secretariat, key population refers to people whose sexual preferences and behaviours place them at the greatest risk if HIV infection. These include gays, female sex workers, sexual partners of sex workers and people who inject drugs.
Despite this increases key population are less likely to access or use services because of stigmatisation and criminalisation. This in turn will result in the spread of the epidemic.
At a round table meeting for the media organised by the Consortium for the Advancement of Rights for Key Affected Population (CARCAP) at Aberdeen on Wednesday, 15 November 2017, Kemoh Mansaray, Program Officer and Key Population Focal Person, said due to the behaviour of these people, there are laws in the country that do not favour them. They are engaged in socially stigmatised behaviour and as a result of that they remain underground and carry on with their behaviour.
If key populations are not addressed in response to the epidemic, there will be rise in the spread of the epidemic.
The National Program Officer UNAIDS, Bockari Samba, said the need to focus on key population is important due to the clandestine activities among them. In addition to that the use of condoms among them is limited. He suggested that the activities of key populations be prioritised. He stressed the need to use a public health approach to address key populations. He added that access to health services by this set of people should be on a human rights basis.
CARCAP is a consortium of civil society organisations advocating for access to quality health services by of key populations. ES/15/11/17
By Edna Smalle
Thursday November 16, 2017.