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Seychelles delegation better informed on innovative methods, technologies to fight HIV/Aids |11 August 2018

 

 

 

Aids conference in Amsterdam July 23 to 27 

 

The Seychelles delegation who recently attended the International Aids Conference held in Amsterdam, Netherlands from July 23-27 has come back better informed on innovative methods and technologies that will help in the fight against HIV/Aids.

The theme for this year’s Aids conference was ‘Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges’.

The delegation comprisedDr Anne Gabriel, Dr Louine Morel, Fadette Estico, Maryline Hollanda, Chantal Melanie, Sabrina Mousbé and Thelma Pool, who acted as the media coordinator.

To note, Seychelles was the country in the region that brought the largest delegation to the conference and yesterday morning some members of the delegation briefed the press on the outcome of the meeting.

Sabrina Mousbé, programme manager for the HIV/Aids prevention and control programme within the Public Health Authority, revealed that the Seychelles delegation discovered various new technologies during the five-day conference.

A rapid HIV/Aids self-testing kit is one among these and Ms Mousbé stated that the delegation is advocating for the Ministry of Health to introduce these tests.

Ms Mousbé described the test as “reliable and cost-effective.”

“The tests will facilitate the work of medical officers during outreach programmes. Presently they have to bring along a lab technician and various equipment such a syringes, needles and so on,” Ms Mousbé said.

“From now on, if we are doing rapid testing we can bring only these kits which are easier to use.”

Instead of drawing out the patient’s blood, the innovative self-test necessitates swabs of the top and bottom gums to be taken, and then dipped into a solution for 15-20 minutes to find out if the person is negative and reactive.

Condomize is also among the novel concepts the delegates engaged in Amsterdam.

Seychelles’ one and only sexologist, Maryline Hollanda, explained that Condomize is a campaign which seeks to raise awareness on the importance of using condoms in a lively and engaging way.

“It is a great way to promote condom use especially among the youth and among the vulnerable groups in the community. Far too often condoms are talked about in a serious manner,” she said.

Seychelles is expected to organise its first Condomize campaign in September this year.

Harm reduction and needle exchange programmes, methadone substitution, better and more effective methods to reach target groups such as transgenders, sex workers and drug users were some of the topics that were on the conference’s agenda.

First convened during the peak of the Aids epidemic in 1985, the conference is an opportunity for thousands of delegates from around the world to meet and discuss ways to strengthen policies and programmes that ensure an evidence-based response to the epidemic.

 

 

 

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