Sex workers
Sex workers are at a heightened risk of HIV because of stigma, discrimination, harassment and punitive laws which make it difficult to access healthcare services, including HIV prevention supplies such as condoms and lubricants. TB HIV Care’s sex work programme operates in eight districts in South Africa (Oliver Tambo, eThekwini, uMgungundlovu, Ehlanzeni, Gert Sibande, Nkangala, Dr Kenneth Kaunda, Ngaka Modiri Molema), where our drop-in centres and mobile outreach services are designed to encourage health-seeking behaviour; meeting sex workers where they work, live or socialise, addressing their particular needs, and facilitating psychosocial support and referrals where necessary. The programme has been a pioneer in offering pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to HIV-negative sex workers as part of a government-led programme and also provides life-saving antiretroviral treatment, adherence support and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services. The programme is widely recognised for providing a friendly, welcoming and human-rights-based approach for marginalised sex workers.