Increasing Men’s and Boys’ Access to HIV Prevention and Treatment in Zambia: Test and Treat through Community Insakas

Slides from the webinar

Guest speaker Raymond Havwala from the MenEngage Zambia Alliance discussed effective strategies to engage men and boys in accessing HIV care, treatment and prevention at the community level.

MenEngage is an alliance of non-governmental organizations working together with men and boys to promote gender equality. Through their country-level and regional networks, the MenEngage Alliance seeks to provide a collective voice for  the need to build and improve the field of practice around engaging men in achieving gender equality and advocating before policymakers at the local, national, regional and international levels. Mr. Raymond Havwala, from the MenEngage Zambia Alliance, will discuss effective strategies to engage men and boys in accessing HIV care, treatment and prevention at the community level. Mr. Havwala is a Male Involvement Specialist on the Test and Start Initiative with IntraHealth International (IntraHealth).

IntraHealth has been implementing the Test and Start Initiative, which aims to expand uptake of HIV testing services and antiretroviral treatment of boys and men (aged 15-29) who are possible partners of adolescent girls and young women in Lusaka, Zambia. Boys and men who test positive for HIV are initiated on antiretroviral treatment as part of Test and Start, while those who test negative receive access to HIV prevention services, including condoms and voluntary medical male circumcision. IntraHealth engages boys and men through peer community activists that use the Healthy Images of Manhood gender approach to realize gender equality, with a focus on positive cultural norms of masculinity, communication and HIV prevention and treatment education to promote behavior change.