OUT LGBT Well-being attended the 11th SAAIDS Conference in Durban from 20-23 June. The OUT team consisted of Director Dawie Nel, Eastern Cape Site Managers Ntokozo Piliso and Ayanda Mgwadleka, Johannesburg Outreach Manager Maurice Greeves, and Project Coordinator Londeka Xulu.
This highly anticipated event, themed “Act, Connect and End the Epidemic,” brought together policymakers, researchers, academics, clinicians, civil society, and many others to share groundbreaking evidence and innovations that will contribute to ending the HIV epidemic.
OUT, through its Engage Men’s Health programme, funded by USAID/PEPFAR via the FHI 360 EpiC project, presented a research poster at the conference focused on mental health challenges among men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV in Johannesburg. The study, funded by Gilead Sciences, sheds light on an important aspect of HIV care and highlights the need for comprehensive support systems to address mental health concerns within the MSM community.
The SA AIDS Conference serves as a platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration, providing an opportunity for experts and advocates to come together and forge new paths towards a future free from the HIV epidemic.
Attending the conference allows OUT to be at the forefront of the latest developments in HIV research, prevention, and care. It further enables us to connect with like-minded individuals and organisations, fostering collaborations that will enhance our efforts in supporting the LGBTIQ+ community and ensuring their well-being.
