During the 2026 Carnival in Salvador de Bahia—one of the largest street festivals in Brazil, which gathered around 12 million people—UNAIDS, the Municipal Health Secretariat of Salvador, Bahia, and the non-governmental organization Motirô BA provided HIV information, testing and prevention services to its participants through the “Rolê da Prevenção” initiative.  

Rolê da Prevenção (which could be translated to English as Prevention Hangout) was carried out as a pilot in 2025 and following its success, it was incorporated by the city’s authorities as one of the 2026 official health activities of the Carnival. This represented a significant increase in the uptake of HIV testing and outreach. In total, 1.7 million male and female condoms were distributed and nearly 8,000 rapid HIV tests were performed—an increase of 68% compared to the same period previous year.  

According to Salvador’s Municipal Health Secretary, Rodrigo Alves, this initiative strengthens the city’s commitment to equity. “Rolê da Prevenção is an initiative that reaffirms our commitment to care, especially for the populations most vulnerable during Carnival. We are expanding access to testing, prevention supplies and quality information, bringing prevention closer to those who need it most. Our goal is to ensure that the celebration is also a space for care, protection and access to health services.” 

In 2025, UNAIDS conducted peer education trainings on combination HIV prevention, including capacity building on health equity and ways to respond to racism and LGBTphobia. This year, the same peer educators, financed by the local government through Motirô BA, offered rapid tests for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B and C along with qualified counselling and referrals for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP). 

The outreach teams were composed of members of key populations—such as people from the LGBTQIA+ community and black communities—thereby strengthening connection, identification and trust with the public and increasing community engagement. 

All HIV prevention supplies (condoms, lubricants), diagnostic supplies (HIV testing and self-testing), and treatment supplies (care and specialized services) were provided free of charge to everyone by the Unified Health System (SUS), Brazil’s public health system. 

“The continuation of the Rolê da Prevenção initiative in 2026 reinforces the priorities of the Global AIDS Strategy 2026–2031, especially the request for national responses to meet people’s needs and to be inclusive and multisectoral,” said Andrea Boccardi Vidarte. “Being where people are is essential to effectively responding to HIV.”  

In the context of Salvador’s Carnival—internationally recognized for its scale and diversity—health, culture and rights move forward together, strengthening the local response to HIV and reaffirming that HIV prevention and celebration can and should go side by side.