Text written by Leonardo Linconl edited by Marcos Benedetti

On 17 and 18 September, at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), the first workshop for ImPrEP Project Peer Educators was held. At the opening, the ImPrEP leader researcher, Valdiléa Veloso, welcomed participants and gave a general presentation of the project and its activities. The main axes of the workshop were: the linkages of the target populations of the project to health services offering PrEP, the issue of community education and mobilization of gay men and other men who have sex with men, travestis and transsexuals to generate demand for PrEP to health services.

Attended Agnaldo Moreira de Oliveira Junior, Alessia Almeida, Alex Gomes, Allan Bastos, Biancka Fernandes, Keila Simpson, Cléo Oliveria, Agatha da Cunha Marzanno, Ernani Alexandre, Paullo Oliweira, Gabriel Mota, Gabriel Rodrigues Diogo, Jailton Arruda, Eduardo Razo, João Silva, Josias Freitas, Karol Ferreira, Kelly Vieira, Laylla Monteiro, Luciene Freitas, Ludymilla Santiago, Gustavo Córdoba, Paulina Galvão, Renan Oliveira de Carvalho, Taiane Miyake, Thiago Oliveira, Toni Araújo and Valdimir Reis.

During the two-day meeting, the peer educators watched videos, pored over the contents of Combined Prevention, participated in group dynamics to clarify any doubts about the project and also about PrEP, understand the role of a peer educators in each ImPrEP study site, dialogued about the strategies on community mobilization and debated the various formats of materials that can be produced to social media, and build a work plan. In the end, participants evaluated the two-day workshop and each team member has their considerations. The workshop was conducted by Nilo Fernandes, Luciana Kamel, Brenda Hoagland from Fiocruz; Julio Moreira and Alessandra Ramos (community mobilization of ImPrEP), Cristina Pimenta (Ministry of Health) and Marcos Benedetti (ImPrEP). The next meeting is scheduled for December in Salvador.

ImPrEP Peer Educator

Are represented by peers of MSM and Transgender populations with the capacity for mobilization and community education, with a focus on HIV prevention and other sexually transmitted Infections (STIs). Their role is to facilitate the acquisition of new knowledge through reflection, debate and questioning on the subject and direct participation of interested population in PrEP at the service that offers the prophylaxis. The peer educator is responsible for community mobilization of key populations that could benefit from the PrEP and other components of the combination prevention.

Photos: Communication Office/ Fiotec