Monthly Update

“We at Siempre Unidos have been very busy carrying out all sorts of activities including health fairs, raising HIV awareness, educating, and testing,” Pascual Torres, the Honduran Executive Director and Co-founder writes. “We have held social parades and more in our three geographic sites and communities. See the different photos and activities.” Thank you forRead more

The Garifuna people, descendants of Africans who escaped slavery and indigenous Caribbean peoples, speak a language that reflects these histories plus the legacies of French, Spanish, and English-speaking colonists. The Garifuna communities, like other marginalized peoples of African ancestry around the world, have a high HIV burden. With the support of Gilead Sciences and others,Read more

The Honduran government spends less than $200 per person per year on health care (World Health Organization). Honduras is one of the poorest counties in Latin America and approximately half of its population lives on less than $5.50/day (World Bank). Given our focus on the people who are the most poor and marginalized, our staffRead more

As we celebrate Black History in the US this month, we wish to highlight the contribution of one our Garifuna patients. The Garifuna people, descendants of African-Carib populations who were exiled to the Honduran coast in the 18th century, live with discrimination, poverty, and higher rates of HIV than most other Honduran groups. Approximately 5%Read more

“Without a doubt, today was very special,” writes Executive Director Pascual Torres. “A group of patients and neighbors prepared a delicious lunch for Siempre Unidos Staff. It was a great show of appreciation for our work that we really enjoyed.” “A family received food, a mattress, and portable stove,” he types. “And in the localRead more

“We are quite active today responding to HIV,” writes Honduras Director Pascual Torres. “We are doing rapid HIV testing at the local markets. Closing the gap on World AIDS Day.” To close the gap, the Siempre Unidos staff implement the UNAIDS list of necessary measures: Community-led and people centered infrastructure Equitable access to medicines, vaccines, and healthRead more

Held in October, the International Day of the Girl focuses attention on the challenges girls face and promotes their empowerment by identifying and amplifying the voices of adolescent girls globally. Siempre Unidos joined with a women’s organization and local school to host a party for the daughters of our patients and community members. The girlsRead more

Siempre Unidos closely tracks the health of each of our 484 HIV-positive patients. According to the most recent laboratory tests, only 6% have high viral loads (indicates high levels of infectiousness). Of these, two-thirds are patients who were diagnosed this year and are still acclimating to their diagnoses and treatment regimens. These data tell usRead more

People who are 50 years and older and living with HIV experience higher rates of cardiovascular and kidney disease, neurocognitive disorders, and osteoporosis than their HIV-negative counterparts. Siempre Unidos received a grant from Gilead Sciences, Inc. to develop, implement, and disseminate medical and psychological protocols for enhanced care of this vulnerable patient population. The grantRead more

The Siempre Unidos staff hold their vaccination certificates. “We all received today our second COVID-19 dose,” wrote Executive Director Pascual Torres. “A great achievement for us” and due to the fact that they are health care workers. It is a great feat given only 1.6% of Honduras’ 9.9 million people are fully vaccinated. According toRead more