LINKAGES Quarterly Report (April 1– June 30, 2019) – EASTERN CARIBBEAN

The project aimed to increase access to HIV prevention, testing, and treatment services for these populations. During the third quarter of fiscal year 2019, the project finalized and closed-out activities in Barbados, Suriname, and Trinidad. In Barbados, the project continued to provide pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and HIV testing services at a drop-in center. The Essential Package of Services was endorsed and launched by the Ministry of Health and Wellness, and the Shared-Care protocol was finalized. However, due to difficulties in obtaining data, no information is available on STI diagnosis and treatment in Barbados. In Suriname, the project conducted stigmatization and discrimination trainings for health workers and provided comprehensive HIV services. A close-out event was held on May 3, attended by project staff, partners, and outreach teams. The project also ensured operations and subgrants administrative and financial close-out by the end of May. In Trinidad, the project focused on delivering comprehensive reach, testing, and link to treatment HIV services targeting high-risk men who have sex with men and transgender people. Online outreach activities continued through the DLinkTT platform, and a dynamic online outreach campaign was implemented. The project also worked with national health authorities to help finalize certification of community testing sites and outreach workers as lay testers. The project achieved significant results in the third quarter, including reaching 322 individuals with HIV prevention interventions, testing 154 key populations for HIV, and diagnosing 5 individuals with HIV. The project also enrolled 12 key populations in community care and support and successfully navigated 16 individuals to treatment and initiated them on antiretroviral therapy. Additionally, the project provided or supported 66 STI screenings and linked 14 key populations to STI treatment. The project also reported on gender-based violence, with 32 key populations reporting experiencing violence. Partnerships were also closed with seven civil society organizations in the three countries. The project's results are illustrated in Figures 1A-F, which show the number of female sex workers, men who have sex with men, and transgender people reached, tested, and linked to care and treatment services in Suriname and Trinidad. The project's achievements in the third quarter demonstrate its commitment to increasing access to HIV services for key populations in the Eastern Caribbean. The project's results will inform future programming and contribute to the region's efforts to control the HIV epidemic.