THAA0301 | STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY RESILIENCE THROUGH INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE AND LOCALIZED DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES IN LIBERIA

Togar Woodor | Take provity out of Liberia, Painesville City, Liberia; Dominic Johnson, Winston Sumo, Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation Liberia Team, Monrovia

Men who have sex with men (MSM) in Liberia remain disproportionately affected by HIV, facing intersecting barriers such as stigma, criminalization, and limited access to affirming healthcare. Peer education and navigation models have shown promise in reaching this population, yet localized evidence from Liberia is limited. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a structured peer navigation intervention to improve HIV prevention knowledge, testing uptake, and linkage to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) services among MSM in Paynesville and Monrovia. Community outreach enrolled a cohort of 100 MSM from January to December 2024. Trained MSM peer navigators conducted biweekly educational sessions, distributed condoms and HIV self-testing kits, and provided navigation support to MSM-friendly clinics. Pre- and post-intervention surveys measured changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Descriptive statistics and paired t-tests were used for analysis. Following the intervention, HIV testing uptake increased from 47% to 85% (p<0.01), while PrEP initiation rose from 12% to 48% (p<0.01). Knowledge of HIV prevention improved significantly, with 92% of participants correctly identifying three or more prevention methods post-intervention, compared to 54% at baseline. Peer navigators reported high engagement levels and trust from participants, with 78% of MSM indicating they would recommend the program to others. MSM-led community-based peer navigation is a highly effective strategy for improving HIV-related outcomes in marginalized populations in Liberia. Scaling up this model may contribute to national goals of epidemic control and support more inclusive, rights-based public health strategies.