Written by Dr Nastassia Rambarran, Public Health Consultant, Researcher and Physician

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic coincided with the ending of USAID/PEPFAR funding in Barbados to create a perfect storm of potentially huge disruption of HIV service provision by the key population-led civil society organisation, Equals Inc.

At the time, Equals, with USAID/PEPFAR funding and under a shared care paradigm with the Barbados Ministry of Health and Wellness, provided wide-reaching and national HIV and STI testing, treatment and HIV PrEP at their community site. With the onset of lockdown in late March, on-site services were shut down, but persons on PrEP and receiving antiretrovirals for treatment were followed up via phone calls and messaging by the Equals team, who arranged delivery of multi-month medication supplies, telemedicine consults and donated food hampers sourced from donations and an external grant.

Outreach workers intensified online engagement (which has always been a strong point of the organisation) and psychosocial counselling, which was especially needed, moved online. After approximately three months of lockdown, these measures enabled the site to reopen with testing uptake almost on par with pre-pandemic levels and continued alliance with the vulnerable community served.

Editor’s note: EQUALS is an LGBTQI+ organisation that helps communities to access services through rights-based advocacy. The goal of Equals is to educate and empower the LGBTQI+ community to foster unity by providing a safe, discrimination-free environment.  In this environment, Equals encourages safe sexual practices and access to services in areas such as sexual health, general health and mental health. Equals also serves as an educational outlet by providing general information that is catered to the community. In addition, Equals works to improve the quality of everyday life for the LGBTQI+ community by tackling stigma and discrimination through sensitisation training and human rights violations case recording. The organisation strives to achieve its goals through community empowerment, education, networking and rights-based advocacy.

For more information visit https://equalsbarbados.com/