During 2021, 2,323 people were treated in the friendly clinics, as stated by Telvi Álvarez, nurse in charge of the friendly clinics of the Ministry of Health (Minsa) that serve the key population in Panama.
These friendly clinics are spaces free of stigma and discrimination for key populations that require comprehensive care, care is provided to men who have sex with men, transsexual girls and sex workers.
“Friendly clinics are spaces free of stigma and discrimination for key populations that require comprehensive care; attention is given to men who have sex with men, transsexuals and sex workers”, Álvarez added.
In the clinics, laboratory, vaccination, treatment, HIV tests, counseling and psychology are provided, providing patients with a quality of life.
“The same clinics offer comprehensive care, free of discrimination and sexually transmitted diseases,” added Álvarez.
For her part, Rosa Lou Alcides, in charge of the monitoring unit of the STI HIV/AIDS program of the Minsa, reported that, during the year 2021, 17,258 people received retroviral therapy in our country (in the public sector and private) in the country; of which 197 cases correspond to children from 0 to 14 years old and 80% are male and 20% female.
“We know that these people feel a certain fear and it has been created for care according to their needs and they have that difficulty and suffer from discrimination, for which he reiterated the call for greater tolerance and accepting all people as they are, without stigmatizing them. no one,” Alcides concluded.
