How does the MISP work to reduce HIV transmission in emergency settings?
The relationship between conflict and vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, is complex. Typically, all STIs thrive under crisis conditions — conditions of poverty, powerlessness and instability, often coinciding with limited access to the means of prevention, treatment and care. Until recently, HIV/AIDS programmes were frequently excluded in relief agencies’ immediate response to emergencies. However, the humanitarian community now understands that interventions must begin immediately at the onset of an emergency and involve other sectors, such as education. New evidence demonstrates the effectiveness of providing basic HIV information and prevention methods among displaced populations. At the onset of a new crisis, for example, it is possible to guarantee the availability of free condoms and enforce respect for universal precautions against HIV. Longer term public-awareness campaigns can lead to the reduction of HIV by changing sexual behaviour patterns. The
