French-speaking activists seek to ways to win the battle against AIDS

LGBTQ rights activist and journalist in Cameroon.

The struggle against AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases in French-speaking Africa was the focus of this year’s Afravih conference, held in Marseilles, France, from April 6 to 9. Below are are some of the revelations and updates related to Cameroon that emerged from the gathering of scientists, doctors and health activists.

From the African Human Rights Media Network

Demonstration at Afrovih pushes for increased funding through the Global Fund for the battle against AIDS. The banner states, "Global Fund -- AIDS. France should pay" — **Demonstration at Afravih pushes for increased support through the Global Fund for the battle against AIDS. The banner states, “Global Fund — AIDS. France should pay”**

By Courtney Stans

In Cameroon, PrEP pre-exposure medication is still in an experimental phase, with primary focus on treatment of sex workers and men who have sex with men. However, conference attendees learned from Coalition Plus that PrEP in Europe, particularly in France, is much more routine, with injections performed six times a year. The roll-out of PrEP treatments is farther ahead in Senegal than in Cameroon.

Funding delay

In a discussion of the Global Fund program in Cameroon, Jean Jacques Dissoke, advocacy manager of Alternatives Cameroon, pointed out that a delay in funding had caused problems in implementing the national anti-AIDS plan. Representatives of the Global Fund agreed to resolve the problem.
The organization Expertise France presented a panel about the Proximity project, which has been under way for three years with the goal of improving proctological care and services for LGBTI people.

Joséphine Mandeng of Alternatives-Cameroon told the panel of several obstacles that the project faces. Among them:

Caregivers who are untrained about the needs of LGBTI people and who discriminate against them.
Beneficiaries who avoid health centers and whose treatment is limited by financial and family constraints.

Yves Yomb

A symposium focused on an upcoming documentary about the late Yves Yomb, former executive director of Alternatives Cameroon and former coordinator of AfricaGay / AGCS / Coalition Plus.

Serges Yotta, the advocacy director of Coalition Plus, introduced a 30-minute presentation summarizing the life, successes and challenges that Yomb faced. In coming months, when the documentary is in final form, it will be presented in Cameroon by Alternatives-Cameroun.

Courtney Stans, the author of this article, is a Cameroonian journalist who writes under a pseudonym. Contact her at info@76crimes.com.