Provision of Expanded High Quality HIV/STIs Prevention, Care, and Treatment Services in Trinidad and Tobago under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)

Description

Trinidad and Tobago has both a generalized and a concentrated HIV epidemic, with a prevalence of over 25% among men who have sex with men (MSM). This prevalence is among the highest globally and, if not adequately addressed, poses a national public health problem. Beginning in 2002, the Government commissioned the Medical Research Foundation (MRF) to provide HIV prevention, care, and treatment services to patients diagnosed with HIV in Trinidad and Tobago. Since then, the MRF has grown to become the largest HIV treatment and care site in Trinidad and Tobago and the Southern Caribbean. The total number of patients enrolled at the MRF account for over 73% of total people living with HIV (PLHIV) known to be in care nationally. MRF is the only non-governmental organization (NGO) with the capacity and infrastructure to deliver high quality care and treatment services in Trinidad and Tobago. The site has also demonstrated clinical success, where over 85% of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) patients have achieved viral suppression. It is therefore critical to provide adequate support and capacity building to the MRF given its unique position, as both an NGO, but also as an HIV/STIs service delivery arm of the government. This NOFO’s approach is to build MRF’s capacity to scale up successful interventions nationally to meet the common goal of controlling the HIV epidemic in Trinidad and Tobago and serve as a model for the Caribbean region and globally.

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