MOVIMIENTO DE MUJERES POSITIVAS (MM+)

The Positive Women’s Movement (MM+) was created on January 29, 1999 in Bogotá, Colombia, within the framework of the First Latin American and Caribbean Meeting of women living with and affected by HIV, with the purpose of joining forces through an alliance of organisations, in response to the growing “Feminisation” of the HIV epidemic. Currently, it has representatives from civil society organisations in 18 countries. With a focus on diversity, the MM+ is committed to working inclusively with the wide range of women in the region and establishing strategic alliances with actors who are traditionally not considered in the response to HIV, from a perspective based on human rights and recognising women, in all their diversity, as a key group.

In Panama, they participated in the first annual meeting with the national HIV and sexually transmitted infections program, in which they raised the importance of testing for hepatitis C and requested that hepatitis C be taken into consideration as a topic to be addressed not only in interconsultation but also included in the approach protocol.
On the other hand, the situation of the withdrawal of funds from PEPFAR and USAID has reduced the approach of peers, who were the only people working on the subject within the health services. This change in the dynamics will definitely mean a setback for the approach and the response of the State to hepatitis C.