The HIV advocates of Shwe Bo 31.05.2019

Dr Aye Myat Thu Zar, Pyi Gyi Khin Shwe Bo KPSC officer

Effective advocacy can push people to seek HIV services. Supported by the Global Fund, advocacy and counselling by Pyi Gyi Khin Key Population Service Centre (KPSC) in Shwe Bo Township has been highly successful . ‘Ko Aung’ – one of its patients – at first regarded his HIV status as a death sentence, but KPSC gave him the hope he needs to live a full life.

Dr Aye Myat Thuzar is Pyi Gyi Khin centre officer of Shwe Bo Key Population Service Centre (KPSC). She and her team have been able to make effective use of HIV advocacy and counselling. They have enabled many patients, including a 30-year-old patient Ko Aung (not his real name), to know their HIV status, helping them to make the right decision to get appropriate care and treatment.

Shwe Bo Pyi Gyi Khin KPSC team regularly organizes HIV advocacy events to highlight the services available at the centre, such as voluntary confidential HIV counselling and testing (VCCT) and referral for ART at the Monywa General Hospital.

After one such event, Ko Aung contacted Dr Aye Myat Thuzar. Through her patience and interest in her work, she was able to build rapport with Ko Aung. “He contacted me by phone. He told me he wanted to get VCCT because he was worried about HIV.”

Ko Aung at first felt hopeless when his fears were confirmed by an HIV-positive result. “I would rather kill myself than die from HIV,” he said. He was full of worries.

Ko Aung may not have been alive today without the HIV testing and skilful counselling, referral, care, treatment and support services that he received from Shwe Bo Pyi Gyi Khin KPSC team, along with provision of health education and condoms.

Like any good clinician, Dr Aye Myat Thuzar has provided him much needed reassurance. “Now he enjoys a happy family life with his wife and two sons. We are always at hand to extend our support to all people living with HIV,” Dr Aye Myat Thuzar added with a beaming smile, proud of the Shwe Bo team’s dedicated work.

Ko Aung is now doing well. He is on ART and regularly attends follow-up appointments at Monywa General Hospital. Though he used to be worried and uncertain about the future, he is now full of confidence because of the treatment he is receiving. The support has been transformative in his life, and Ko Aung has referred many of his friends to the centre for VCCT and invited them to attend KPSC advocacy events, meetings and education sessions.

Pyi Gyi Khin has been implementing its HIV project ‘Enhancing the quality of life of PLHA through ART provision, psychosocial support, home-based care and increase access to prevention services among MSM/SW’ since 2011, with support from the Global Fund.