HIV/AIDS and ITS prevention (Prevención de ITS/VIH sida)

Profamilia is a health providing institution with extensive experience in the field of sexual and reproductive health of the Colombian people.

Although the general health system covers treatments and attention to HIV-positive people and is obliged to provide HIV tests when requested by users, Profamilia provides pre and post counseling services.  Treatment coverage is provided by the state, but our sexual and reproductive health services are inclusive and respect the needs of HIV-positive people who come to our centers.

The reduction and elimination of stigma and discrimination towards HIV-positive people is an institutional goal.  Working in this direction different projects and activities have been developed that have directed their objective to the vulnerable population to contract the virus, young people; women; men who have sex with men (MSM) and the LGBT population in general.

All of the training activities that Profamilia develops through its youth centers touch on themes related to sexually transmitted infections and HIV is one of the themes that is emphasized through prevention and rights of HIV-positive people.

Profamilia has developed different projects with organizations that work on HIV issues such as the Liga Colombiana de Lucha contra el Sida, Proyecto Girasol, Asociación Colombia Saludable among others.  In addition it has worked with organizations that conduct research on sexuality like the Género, Sexualidad y Salud en América Latina (GESSAM) of the Universidad Nacional and the Centro Latinoamericano en Sexualidad y Derechos Humanos (CLAM).

Also Profamilia participated in the execution of the Global Fund Project in eleven cities in the country and during its administration of the LGBT Community Center in Bogotá (2006-09) a series of informational chats on sexual and reproductive health for the LGBT population were given and activities were undertaken with the Colombian Network of People Living with HIV (RECOLVIH) with whom two Candlelight activities with messages geared towards bringing greater understanding that HIV is a chronic disease, not a fatal disease and that women in general have become a vulnerable population that should be alerted about their risks of contracting the infection.