About Fundación Huésped

We bring combined prevention of HIV and other STIs to the populations most at risk. 

• We run a free HIV and syphilis testing center, carry out community testing in the territory, support HIV self-testing and collaborate with social organizations to organize their own testing centers.
• We have developed donde.huesped.org.ar, a web app that provides information on the nearest place to obtain free condoms, HIV testing, vaccines, PEP, PrEP and other contraceptive methods.
• We provide access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for those without health insurance. This strategy involves taking antiretroviral medication prior to potential exposure to prevent HIV transmission.
• We have established a Combined HIV and STI Prevention Center in the Puertas de Hierro Neighborhood (La Matanza, Province of Buenos Aires), ensuring equitable access to healthcare services for approximately 2,000 extremely vulnerable people.

We offer free services to the most vulnerable communities.

• Personalized Care Services

We offer first-contact services to listen and provide advice on various issues related to HIV diagnosis and discrimination, as well as counseling on risk reduction in voluntary and legal termination of pregnancy . Additionally, we make referrals for other types of inquiries. Our communication channels include a chatbot, online chat, a toll-free number, and in-person assistance to facilitate access to our services.

• Psychological Support

We provide individual focal psychotherapy for people living with HIV, along with support for transgender and non-binary individuals. We also offer weekly reflection groups and open community  meetings, as well as assistance with treatment adherence.

Our educational networks reach health professionals and researchers, teachers, non-formal educators, families, and others through our fellowship programs and online courses.

We have built an educational and ongoing training offer that covers health care, socio-educational intervention, community participation and human rights promotion. The goal is to create long-term capacity building and foster referral, alliance and reference networks in the medium and long term.

In 2024, more than 3,000 people were trained.

We offer courses on:

■ Update on HIV

■ Pregnancy, maternity and paternity in adolescents.

■ Psychological care for people affected by HIV

■ Comprehensive management of HIV infection

■ Comprehensive Sexual Education

■ Comprehensive care for transgender people

We lead mass communication and prevention campaigns, including a strong presence on social media. We are a source of information and meet the demand of the media on different topics.

• Instagram: 233.000 followers
• X: 125.400 followers
• Facebook: 415.000 followers
• YouTube: 17.7000 suscribers

■ In 2023-2024, we trained over 5,000 people through our in-person and virtual course on e-huésped.

■ For 10 years we have supported our free and rapid HIV testing center.

■ We reach over 42 million people every year with health and human rights content on social media.

■ In partnership with Siglo XXI publishing house, we released the books “Educación Sexual Integral: Guía para la escuela y la familia” and “De chicos a hombres”,  a guide to Comprehensive Sexual Education for working with boys at schools and within families. 30% of those we tested during 2023 and 2024 have accessed an STI test for the first time.

■ We have participated in and organized scientific events in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, the United States, Australia, among others.

• Our work is grounded in good clinical practice, with teams adhering to strict hygiene and safety standards in compliance with current regulations.
• We conduct research protocols sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry and international institutions such as the NIH and ANRS, as well as investigator-initiated studies.
• We conduct research in partnership with various levels of government to address critical health issues, especially those impacting vulnerable populations.
• We encourage the ongoing training of our teams.  In partnership with the Universidad Arturo Jauretche, we have developed a postgraduate diploma in Clinical Research and offer a fellowship program in rights-based research training for professionals from several disciplines.

Our center has been inspected by the FDA, EMA, and ANMAT, as well as by auditors hired by the sponsoring laboratories and DAIDS from the NIH. We are a Technology Transfer Unit (UVT), accredited by the National Agency for Science and Technology (ANPICyT)

• We work with international standards and ensure the scientific quality and protection of each participant -at all stages of the process- thanks to our Ethics and Community Advisory Committees.
• We have a participant recruitment and follow-up program for our studies, which ensures high engagement and retention rates.
• We have extensive experience in the preparation of kits for use in local laboratories, as well as in the shipment of samples to the central laboratory. Our Laboratory Coordinator is certified by IATA (International Air Transport Association).

OUR NEW HEADQUARTERS

Opened in 2024, our new headquarters features 2 reception areas, 10 consultation rooms, 2 laboratory rooms, 2 nursing rooms, 3 waiting areas, a fully equipped procedure and PK room, and a pharmacy. 

The building houses 40 workstations for the research team , 8 meeting rooms and 75 additional workstations for other staff members. It also features IT support, an ultra-freezer room, and an auditorium with a separate entrance, capable of hosting meetings for up to 70 people.

Safety features include uninterruptible power supplies for sensitive equipment, air purification filters with ultraviolet light, separate waste storage areas, an autoclave sterilizer, smoke detectors and emergency exits.

• We have developed the two-drug HIV therapy strategy, now included in international guidelines.
• Throughout our 35-year history, we have conducted 320 clinical and social research studies, 90 of which were investigator-initiated.
• More than 8,000 people have participated in our studies and we have published more than 250 scientific papers in national and international journals.
• We are currently carrying out 34 medical and social research projects.
• We took part in the first long-acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis studies and in the HIV preventive vaccine trials.
• We are part of various NIH research networks in the US and we are one of the community research hubs of Coalition PLUS, a global network of community-based organizations.
• In 2006, Pedro Cahn, our Scientific Director and founder, was elected president of the International AIDS Society.

WE SHARE OUR EXPERTISE

We participate in and organize events aimed at both the scientific community and civil society with the goal of addressing the various health issues we focus on.

• Regional Scientific Symposium

A meeting organized in Buenos Aires with over 80 speakers and 2,000 attendees from across Latin America.

• Latina Forum

An initiative to address issues related to HIV management, ARVs, and PrEP. We have held this event in Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Canada, and Argentina.

• Aging in HIV

HIV specialists explore key issues related to aging with the virus from a multidisciplinary perspective.

• Transgender en América Latina

a non-commercial satellite symposium held during the IAS Conferences, focusing on the health of transgender individuals.

We offer first-contact services to listen and provide advice on various issues related to HIV diagnosis and discrimination, as well as counseling on risk reduction in voluntary and legal termination of pregnancy. Additionally, we make referrals for other types of inquiries. Our communication channels include a chatbot, online chat, a toll-free number, and in-person assistance to facilitate access to our services.

We provide individual focal psychotherapy for people living with HIV, along with support for transgender and non-binary individuals. We also offer weekly reflection groups and open community meetings, as well as assistance with treatment adherence.

We have three groups of 20 members each, coordinated by facilitators and mental health professionals. Meetings are held weekly, both in-person and virtually.

We offer comprehensive and free legal services to ensure the rights of people living with HIV. We provide counseling and assist with claims related to access to treatments, post-exposure prophylaxis, discrimination in various areas, and issues within the healthcare system

■ We have introduced the role of peer navigators: individuals from affected communities who serve as a bridge to healthcare teams.

■ We have advocated for National HIV Law No. 27675, which protects the rights of people living with HIV and those in high-risk populations.

■ We have developed TRANScitar, a cohort of 500 transgender individuals that, for the past five years, has enabled long-term monitoring of their physical and mental health, as well as their living and health conditions within this community.

■ For the past 20 years, we have expanded our community outreach strategy to reach women in extreme poverty, older adults, adolescents living with HIV, the LGBTIQ+ population, rural communities, and migrant populations.

■ We collaborate with a network of feminist journalists from every province in Argentina, committed to raising awareness and advocating for women's rights.

■ Since its launch in 2021, we have added over 40 companies to our Working Positively initiative, aimed at creating workplace environments free from stigma and discrimination against HIV in LatinAmerica.