The Ministry of Public Health of Ecuador and the Asociación Plan Diversidad announced on March 9 the completion of a consultancy aimed at strengthening HIV prevention among key populations, including men who have sex with men, transfeminine people, and sex workers in the cantons of Buena Fe, Pasaje, Pedernales, and Sucre.
The initiative is part of broader strategies led by Vice President María José Pinto and supported by funding from the Global Fund. The project implemented a community intervention model designed to reduce stigma and discrimination related to HIV.
The pilot program, called “Community Service in HIV Prevention,” was carried out between November 2025 and January 2026. It enabled more than 3,000 individuals from key populations to access free HIV screening services. These efforts are intended to address the current epidemiological context of HIV in Ecuador.
During a presentation event in Quito that included virtual participation from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Maritza Páez, Director of Prevention and Control Strategies at the Ministry of Public Health, said: “El MSP ha garantizado la inclusión del presupuesto para el Contrato Social en el Plan Plurianual de Inversión 2026-2030, asegurando los recursos necesarios para que estos servicios comunitarios tengan continuidad en todo el país, respondiendo a los resultados de este Plan Piloto.”
María Petro, delegate from the Global Fund, said that civil society participation is vital for meeting objectives related to eliminating HIV as a public health issue and fulfilling international commitments made at high-level meetings.
Results from this intervention will serve as technical input for future public contracting processes involving legally recognized civil society organizations that are part of Ecuador’s popular and solidarity economy. This process will be coordinated with the National Institute for Popular and Solidarity Economy (IEPS).
The Social Contract model aims to close access gaps for vulnerable populations, ensure early detection through screening programs, and strengthen the national health system’s response capacity by presenting community-level strategies. The event concluded with an agreement on a roadmap that includes technical support for social organizations as part of ongoing efforts by Ecuador’s government to reduce inequities and curb HIV transmission.
