SEPTEMBER 2007 — The Implementing AIDS Prevention and Care Project (IMPACT) in Mexico provided technical assistance to build the capacity of Mexican institutions and organizations to develop and implement HIV/AIDS prevention activities. This included behavior change communication (BCC) initiatives, developing national sexually transmitted infection (STI) guidelines, improving STI services, enhancing STI/HIV/AIDS prevention and care, developing NGO capacity to implement activities, strengthening monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capabilities, and conducting applied research. As part of this effort, IMPACT collaborated with the National AIDS Program (Centro Nacional para la Prevencion y Control de VIH/SIDA/ITS or CENSIDA), the National Public Health Institute (Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica or INSP) and other key stakeholders to train health personnel, conduct workshops, and respond to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Project activities focused on reaching high priority populations at greatest risk for acquiring and transmitting HIV. These populations included commercial sex workers, men who have sex with men, injection drug users, youth, mobile populations, and persons living with HIV/AIDS. The activities included a behavior change communication (BCC) and prevention project implemented by INSP targeting mobile populations in Mexico and the countries of Central America. Also, a formative study was done in collaboration with Colectivo Sol, a local research organization, among youth MSM ages 15 to 24 to serve as a guide for developing HIV prevention interventions.

During the final two years of the IMPACT/Mexico project, FHI worked with Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO) to implement a biological behavioral surveillance survey (BBSS). This survey was conducted in several sites across Mexico to provide evidence to guide program planning and development of HIV/AIDS/STI prevention interventions for specific high risk populations.