GAT Checkpoint LX was formally opened on April 18th, 2011, and is one of GAT's screening centers.
GAT Checkpoint LX is a community-based center for men who have sex with men (MSM) for rapid, anonymous, confidential, and free testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), sexual counselling, and referral to health care.
Although the center is aimed at this group, it is open to the general population (to the extent of its capacity to respond) and offers the following services:
- Availability of condoms (external and internal) and water-based lubricating gel;
- Peer Counselling;
- Rapid, anonymous, confidential, and free peer-to-peer screening for HIV infection, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and syphilis in the center and saunas;
- Community consultation on PrEP, upon registration on the interest form.
- Confidential and free medical appointments for screening for other STIs and counselling for people on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) or interested in starting it;
- Administration of vaccines and injectable antibiotics prescribed in the medical consultation and for people being followed up in the PrEP consultation at the National Health Service;
- Anonymous notification of partners;
- Referral, with follow-up option, to healthcare in the National Health Service – including people with treatment already started in another country;
- Self-support group sessions (facilitated by people living with HIV).
MSM technicians constitute the team to facilitate access to prevention and sexual health more effectively and realistically through peer support and education. The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control recognized the center as a new and innovative service in Portugal that reflected the recommendations for vulnerable populations of the Action and Communication Plan to combat HIV/AIDS (2013). In addition, the World Health Organization selected it as an example of good practice per the new recommendations for HIV screening sites (2015) and innovation in healthcare delivery in the European Region (2016).
The HIV testing program aimed at MSM, and its referral to the National Health Service, was evaluated by the National School of Public Health and considered cost-effective (2015).
Center registered with the Health Regulatory Authority (E126025).
