New government fund will benefit 14 community schemes across the UK to reduce sexual health inequalities in underserved LGBT+ communities, the UKHSA revealed today.
The monkeypox and sexual health outreach and engagement activity fund will award up to £30,000 to each successful community, voluntary sector organisation to enable greater access to monkeypox vaccination and sexual health services.
Projects will include targeted vaccination events to reach minority groups with monkeypox vaccination and STI tests, a sexual health chatbot that will answer basic questions about HIV and STI’s in 8 north east London boroughs.
As well as community workshops and screening clinics at pride festivals and music venues.
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Africa Advocacy is one of the recipients, the programmes director, Denis Onyango said: ‘The grant will make it possible for us to develop culturally appropriate resources, leadership and capacity around STI and HIV prevention, testing and linkage to care for black gay and bisexual men who have sex with men in south London.’
Another successful recipient is Love Tank based in London, who will undertake 10 to 12 under-the-radar events between February and March 2023 reaching 300 to 400 individuals in non-clinical settings with monkeypox vaccination.
Founder of Love Tank, Dr Will Nutland said: ‘We know that there are groups who could benefit from vaccination but who have not yet received a first or second vaccination. This new funding helps us to address a key health inequality in this important area.’
The funding will also help to address the uptake of vaccinations for blood born viruses, human papillomavirus and the wider determinants of health behaviours that increase the risk of HIV and STI acquisition.
Kate Folkard, head of programme delivery for sexual health and blood borne viruses at UKHSA said: ‘These organisations are the experts in their own communities and this fund will help further engage underserved populations and work with them to protect their health. I’m eager to see their innovative programmes come to fruition and we will work closely with them to help share the learning from their work across the country.’