Within it's first month, the arc (allied rainbow communities) sexual health educational social media campaign, reached more than 86,000 viewers on facebook. The campaign funded by the Malta LGBTI Community Awards 2015 aims to:
1) Encourage people to talk about the subject.
2) Remind people to play safely and responsibly.
3) Encourage people to get tested to know their status and get treatment if needed.
(Studies show that 9/10 SAIs (sexually acquired infections) are acquired via people who do not know their status as people who know their status and are being treated are less likely to infect others)
4) Challenge misconceptions and stigma around these issues.
5) Reduce the alarming increase in SAI transmission. (A study by arc shows that a trend of 57% HIV annual increase in MSM has been ongoing since 2009. Currently 5+ new HIV cases per month are being detected)
The social media campaign is currently complemented by other initiatives such as: Grindr alerts, testmalta.info & training staff to of new services at GU Clinic at Mater Dei. Phase 2 will start in the coming days!
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