Here are a couple of pieces on Myanmar Youth Stars, a young men who have sex with men group.
Jamie
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Myanmar Youth Stars provides peer-led online sessions on HIV during COVID-19
Posted on May 19, 2020
Myanmar Youth Stars provides peer-led online sessions on HIV during COVID-19
Myanmar Youth Stars (MYS) have reported cases across the country disruptions of general health services, especially with young key populations seeking HIV and SRHR services. To address these challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, MYS has been holding online peer education sessions to provide support for YKPs with information on HIV and referral services with the support from UNFPA Myanmar and Youth LEAD.
In Myanmar, it's common to see young people refer to Facebook as a source for news; a platform where many young people look for information on HIV and news related to COVID-19. “During this homestay period, I spend more than 3-4 hours on Facebook daily. I use Facebook to get updates on information about COVID-19 and news on other health-related topics.” said a young person who uses drugs from Mawlamyine. Another young person who identifies as MSM (men who have sex with men) also reflects on the impact of media consumption and usefulness of apps. ”I normally use Facebook most of the time to see what my friends are up to and I like to watch Tik Tok videos. These are also platforms that allow me to join LGBT groups and other support groups to find information that would be useful for me during COVID-19.”
In April 2020, MYS began exploring the idea of holding online peer-led education sessions as a solution to tackle emerging concerns from the community. Utilising social media platforms to advance HIV related causes, MYS initiated a pilot test, a trial run on the online peer-led sessions to better understand the usefulness of the programme for young people. Similarly, the courses will be evaluated, to help form a guideline that can be utilised by peer educators in the future on ways to manage the contents of the virtual meeting best. The guideline will serve as a manual that can be quickly followed by peer educators before online sessions are held. Additionally, the guideline will instruct peer educators on ways to involve young people in the course; provide coaching with how discussions should be led and highlight types of information that should be conveyed.
Thus far, MYS has held nine online sessions, with a total of 27 YKPs tuning into the private sessions. The online meetings are conducted in private, in a group setting and typically among familiar faces. The online courses are also community/district-specific, which means YKPs have the opportunity to join the meetings from their area. The sessions have so far been conducted in Yangon, Myitkyina, Lashio and Mawlamyine.
Dr Min Thet Phyo San, Network and Programme Coordinator at MYS called attention to the impact of COVID-19 on key populations in accessing HIV services. “There is an evident shift in the priorities for organisations to supply food packages to those most affected by government restrictions. Currently, some organizations and government clinics do provide essential services (e.g. HIV treatment, methadone maintenance therapy, PMCT, etc) but most prevention services have halted. Therefore, this is a good opportunity for our organisation to provide online peer education to YKPs during the pandemic because we still don’t know when this will end. The sessions will ensure YKPs remain up to date with information and follow preventive measures for both COVID and HIV.”
MYS has highlighted an interactive approach as a best practice, with displaying of videos as an excellent approach to digital sexuality education. MYS also hopes that the online sessions will not only benefit YKPs looking to access information but will equip peer educators with the necessary skills on utilising social media platforms for advocacy. In a time where many civil society organisations and networks rely on communications and social media to convey critical information, it's essential to look at how digital landscapes can efficiently be managed during times of crisis like COVID-19.
In the next steps, MYS will work with peer educators to evaluate the programme and identify best practices for the dissemination of information. MYS will work to ensure relevancy and efficiency of the sessions for YKPs in a time where many key populations may struggle with finding the information they need on HIV, SRHR or COVID-19.
In other news, MYS is working with UNIADS Myanmar on the dissemination of a national survey, replicated from the regional YKP COVID-19 survey to better understand the concerns of the community.
Edited by: Dr Min Thet Phyo San (Network Programme Coordinator, Myanmar Youth Star) and Eddy Rudram (Communications Officer, Youth LEAD)
https://www.youthleadap.org/news-updates/myanmar-youth-stars-provides-peer-led-online-sessions-hiv-during-covid-19?fbclid=IwAR33QC8yQu7py-lveRZvn1NXf0P5-ySEK7A2VB6DEfh9DrWUenXUliYjYO0
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Generating data to improve young MSM access to HIV services in Myanmar: PULSE Up! by Myanmar Youth Stars
Publications
The PULSE Up! is a project which aims to gather epidemiological and behavioral data of young men who have sex with men (YMSM) through an online survey. This project builds the capacity of community organizations to facilitate survey roll-out, and conduct evidence-based advocacy with stakeholders to address YMSM needs. The data collected from this project will contribute to strengthening the HIV intervention programme and to end the epidemic among YMSM in the country.
Our partner, Myanmar Youth Stars (MYS) is a network representing young key affected populations (YKP) in Myanmar is sharing their main activities of the project which recently ended in 2020.
PULSE Up! started in 2019, the overall objective of this project ties in with the country’s National Strategic Plan by lobbying and advocating with the Government to contribute to designing an HIV intervention programme to end the epidemic among MSM in the country and fulfill international targets, and providing information to the new Strategic Plan as the current one will end this year.
PrEP educational workshop
Although Myanmar has included PrEP in their National Strategic Plan on HIV and AIDS, currently, Myanmar has no PrEP programs in place. APCOM did a regional consultation on PrEPARING Asia: A new direction for HIV prevention among MSM in Asia in 2015 with representatives from Myanmar, and a 2016 initial assessment testing the acceptability of PrEP in Myanmar found that 39% of men would be willing to use it—though the cost of the drug would be a potential barrier. The report also suggested that because sex between men is illegal in Myanmar, it is unlikely that PrEP would be accessed through government systems. It would have to be administered in a safer social environment by NGOs or community-led organisations. Led by MYS with participations from 22 young MSM and external stakeholders:
Dr. Tin Muang Zaw – Regional Officer at NAP,
Oussama Tawil – Country Director at UNAIDS,
Joselyn Pang – Policy and Strategy Adviser at UNAIDS,
Dr. Hla Htay – Senior Technical Manager at Burnet Institute,
Dr. Myo Kyaw Lwin – Community Senior Advisor at UNAIDS,
Dr. Hein Ko Ko and Ko Than Naing OO (PSI officials).
The workshop contributed to increasing knowledge about PrEP among participants, and also it assisted them in developing a workplan to promote PrEP uptake among young MSM in the country. Furthermore, it highlighted that PrEP availability is currently limited, and significant work requires to make PrEP widely available and accessible in Myanmar.
HIV prevention ambassador training
This two-day meeting gathered 20 community members from Yangon city. Overall, this training had enhanced participants’ knowledge and skills on HIV prevention activities. In particular, it assisted participants with;
current epidemiological scenario in the country,
HIV/ AIDS prevention methods
PrEP availability and accessibility,
Challenges of communities to accessing health services.
Furthermore, it assisted ambassadors in developing an individual roadmap to disseminate gained knowledge/information to their peers and community members.
Closing the data gap on young MSM in Myanmar
MYS rolled out the online survey, and had collected epidemiological and behavioral data of young MSM. A total of 834 respondents answered this survey. From this research activity, MYS produced a report and shared with communities and key stakeholders, the data collected from this survey will contribute to strengthening HIV intervention programmes for young MSM. In addition, it developed communication materials which highlights key issues or challenges of young MSM
This study highlighted that one-fourth of respondents did not receive HIV information and services and most of them never tested for HIV. Several other factors contribute to low HIV testing which includes; stigma and discrimination inside and outside the health care settings, low awareness on modes of transmission, breach of confidentiality. Therefore, it indicated that there need to create enabling environment by service providers especially for YMSM to access HIV prevention services at both public and private sectors.
PULSE Up! in Myanmar is supported by PITCH.
https://www.apcom.org/generating-data-to-improve-young-msm-access-to-hiv-services-in-myanmar-pulse-up-by-myanmar-youth-stars/
