Let's talk about health...
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Things work like this at the MGM: to talk about health is also to talk about safe sex and self esteem.
Since 28 August 2000, the NGO maintains in our headquarters the Centre of Convenience for the Homosexual Citizen of Juiz de Fora (CCH). Through the Centre, it is monthly distributed about two thousand condoms, one thousand units of lubricant gel, in addition to informative material about AIDS and other STD (sexually transmitted diseases). It is estimated that about three thousand people – the majority of them men having sex with men – regularly receive the condoms available at the MGM centre. This material is funded by the National Program of STD/AIDS and Minas Gerais State Coordination for STD/AIDS.
Since health is also a question of self esteem, the MGM offers free psychological treatment for homosexuals, via the “Cuca Fresca” (Fresh Mind) Project. In 2006, three voluntary psychologists attended 25 homosexuals in therapy, totalling over 700 consultations throughout the year. From 2007, the psychological assistance started to be funded with money from SEDH (Special Secretary for Human Rights of the Presidency of the Republic), in conjunction with the MGM Justice project.
Condom at the head
Figures compiled by the Juiz de Fora Municipal Program of STD/AIDS have proved the efficacy of the MGM work. In 2000, year when the MGM was founded, 13 homosexuals have undergone AIDS test at the Centre of Test and Counselling in Juiz de Fora. Amongst those, five results were positive. In 2005, 167 gays were tested with three found to be infected.
The calculation is simple: the increase in self esteem favours the practice of safe sex. When a person loves itself, it tends to value its health more and take greater care of its own body, thus avoiding risky behaviour like having unprotected sex.
