A Survey of HIV, Syphilis and Risk Behaviours among Males Having Sex with Males, Male sex Workers and Hijra 2014

Bangladesh has been providing HIV prevention services for males having sex with males (MSM), male sex worker (MSW) and hijra for more than a decade. In parallel to providing HIV prevention services, Bangladesh has been collecting risk behaviour and HIV prevalence data on these population groups through a national surveillance system which was set up by the Government of Bangladesh in 1998. The surveillance system has been crucial in providing key information that has helped Bangladesh to monitor changes in risk behaviours and infection prevalence over time, the data has been the backbone against which the national HIV strategic plans have been developed and global reports have been prepared. These data also enable measuring the effect of the on-going large scale HIV prevention programs for MSM, MSW and hijra.

From September 2013 to February 2014 a cross sectional survey was conducted to assess changes in risk behaviours and prevalence of HIV and active syphilis among MSM, MSW, and hijra.