The project enhances access to community health services for socially vulnerable groups at risk of exposure to infectious diseases. Specifically as a best practice the program provides services and rapid testing in the community to eliminate HIV, STDs & viral hepatitis among migrants, men who have sex with men, transgender people & sex workers. The project aims both to empower and support the provision of services in the community that improve the lives of people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and viral hepatitis and to increase the resilience of the most vulnerable people to these diseases.
CROSSING COUNTRIES, CROSSING COMMUNITIES AIMS TO INCREASE EARLY DIAGNOSIS THROUGH RAPID TESTING
And by extension:
- In raising awareness;
- Proper information;
- The provision of advice;
- Interconnection.
In detail, the project is active and rapid tests are available:
- In the Polyclinics of Athens and Thessaloniki;
- Launch of a new Checkpoint in Lesvos covering the islands of Lesvos, Chios and Samos. These islands have the largest number of asylum seeker cases in Greece, yet no Checkpoint is available for people living there;
- In the activities of the mobile Street-work and Harm Reduction units.
In addition, the following are carried out:
- Social events where people can meet in a friendly environment, raise awareness about the importance of prevention and test for HIV and STDs in the North Aegean islands, Athens and Thessaloniki.
- Training of frontline staff to provide high quality health services and effective communication and interaction with the target group of the project.
Finally, as standard practice, counselling, multidisciplinary case management, peer support, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) and other forms of harm reduction take place to provide an integrated approach.
Read the Crossing Countries, Crossing Communities brochure
