well men's clinic welcomes all

May 2004: A confidential, non-judgemental clinic has opened in Nairobi at the Liverpool VCT Centre and MSMs are welcome.

The clinic runs on a Tuesday evening between 16h00 and 18h30 and is being promoted as a 'well men's clinic' through local networks and individuals. It provides free HIV counselling and testing services, STI treatment and also basic HIV care. There is a nurse, a doctor and a counsellor on duty. ARVS can be purchased at the reduced price of 1500 KSh per month (about 20$) and there are soon to be further price reductions. The Liverpool VCT Centre may be found in Hurlingham, Nairobi opposite the Kati restaurant (aptly named as it means "in-between").

While some gay male service users are understandably concerned about publicity a low-key publicity drive has cleverly included messages posted to Internet groups in Kenya. One relates the story of Patrick who picks up a nice looking man and goes back to his place. The story holds the reader's attention and then we discover the unpleasant truth, which is that Patrick has contracted an STI. "God! What do I do? How can I go to the doctor and say, oh by the way, I got *%*ed two weeks ago and now I have a problem. They'll laugh, then they'll be rude, then they'll ignore me, or worse. What is a boy to do?"

The answer is then given. "The Well Men's Clinic at Liverpool VCT offers free and confidential services to men who have sex with men in Kenya."

Confidentiality is stressed. "The clinic has been set up with the co-operation of the gay community in Nairobi. It is discreet, sensitive and 100% confidential. We won't even ask your name."