A Tour near you: The Story of Will and Community Initiation of PrEP in Panama

It was spring in Panama City, and the intense heat and humidity were already being felt. Will, a young 40-year-old man who was born and raised in the province of Herrera, was at work when he received a message from a close friend with a post promoting a “Tour Versátil”. This event offered free HIV prevention services such as rapid testing with counseling, syphilis diagnosis, and private Pre- exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) services. Will didn’t want to miss the opportunity since the event was only a few metro stops away from his job and he could go after work.

“I wasn’t afraid of HIV. I just wanted to prevent”

When Will got off at “Las Mañanitas” station, a few meters away, he found Minimed, a private clinic and partner with Asociación PASMO under the USAID HIV Prevention, Care and Treatment project, where the services offered in “Tour Versátil” would be provided. Will was looking to start PrEP. “I’ve always believed that, if you want good health, you have to practice prevention. With PrEP, I wanted to be sure I could improve my quality of life, take care of myself, and take care of my partner.”

In 2023, when Will participated in “Tour Versátil”, Asociación PASMO had found a significant opportunity to integrate prevention services (such as counseling, HIV and syphilis testing, condoms, water-based lubricants, and PrEP) all simultaneously and in one place, bringing them closer to the community through this intervention. By the end of 2023, in Panama, the team had implemented 8 “Tour Versátil” events, allowing PASMO to enroll 742 new PrEP users.

To date, Will is still receiving free PrEP services under the project at a Minimed site which receives ongoing training and sensitization workshops to offer friendly services to at-risk LGBTIQ+ individuals referred by PASMO’s project staff. “I have always thought that health is an equal right for everyone.”