Enhancing sexual health & harm reduction for better patient care 2nd Edition | 2022

Marsa organized its second annual Sexual Health and Harm Reduction Workshop in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) from 23rd to 26th November 2022.

The workshop was titled: "Enhancing Sexual Health and Harm Reduction for Better Patient Care" and was tailored to healthcare providers, such as doctors, nurses, midwives, psycho-social counselors, and social workers providing healthcare-related services. More than 30 healthcare providers from the MENA region attended the workshop, including members from Jordan, Syria, Tunisia, Morocco, Iraq, and Lebanon.

The three-and-a-half-day workshop is an extensive course detailing a number of key sexual health and harm reduction topics that are necessary for healthcare providers, to build and/or enhance their knowledge and skills in order to provide inclusive care for their patients.

Workshop Objectives

Among the learning objectives of the workshop, participants will explore:

• The most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including their type, mode of transmission, symptoms, and other specifications.

• Different methods of prevention, clinical and para-clinical exams, treatment, and indications for referral for common sexually transmitted infections.

• Various concepts of harm reduction and patient education.

• HIV Patient Care including recommendations on screening, referral, and treatment of individuals living with HIV.

• Key concepts within sexuality, sexual health, and effective communication that is inclusive of diversity.

• Stigma in healthcare settings and the role of healthcare providers in educating patients.

• Guidelines for hormonal therapy and gender-affirming surgeries.

• Provision of sexual health services to populations most vulnerable to stigma.

• The importance of mental health in sexual health and wellbeing.