The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in collaboration with the Lesotho Planned Parenthood Association (LPPA) have initiated a project on preventing HIV transmission and improved access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) information and services along Lesotho’s three borders.

According to the press statement from UNFPA, this is done in a bid to intensify efforts towards preventing HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) amongst risk populations such as key populations, migrants and youth.

It adds that the Comprehensive HIV prevention project dubbed “Along the Borders,” is aimed at reducing HIV incidences and risky behaviour among the youth and key populations along three border posts of Maseru, Maputsoe and Van Rooyen’s Gate.

It notes that those are the busiest borders which are deemed highly porous and catalytic to transmission of new HIV infections; so the project is targeting migrants, long distance truck drivers, youth and key populations along these borders.

The statement highlights that the project, which is scheduled to take eight months ending in December 2020 with possibility of extension based on availability of funding has engaged peer educators whose role is to mobilize the target populations and facilitate their access to health services, link them to nearby health facilities and ensure that they access integrated SRHR and HIV services.