HIV Self-Testing to Take Off in India: Findings from the STAR Initiative

Posted mars 20, 2023
Impact Area HIV & TB

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This piece originally ran on the World Health Organization (WHO) website.

WHO recommends HIV self-testing (HIVST) as an important approach to address gaps in HIV diagnoses including among key populations (sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgender people, people who inject drugs, and people in prisons other closed settings). Globally, 98 countries now have policies supportive of HIVST and 52 are routinely implementing, yet many countries have not yet introduced HIVST as a routine approach.

A report launched at a national event held in New Delhi last year showed HIVST is acceptable to key populations and their partners in India. As part of Unitaid-funded STAR Initiative, PATH led the implementation of HIVST project in India. Between September 2021 and June 2022, 93 380 HIVST kits were distributed in 50 districts across 14 States. These kits were distributed using 5 different service delivery models including community-based, private practitioner, community pharmacy, workplace and virtual models using both oral-fluid and blood-based kits. Communities found HIVST convenient and easy to use, the intervention was feasible to implement and led to identification of previously undiagnosed HIV infections.

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Implementing the SLPM digital ecosystem brings numerous benefits to health systems. It allows for more strategic and efficient workforce training and performance management, enabling ministries of health to track changes in health workers’ knowledge, quality of care, service utilization, and health outcomes in real time. The ecosystem also supports better stewardship of mixed health systems by facilitating engagement with the private sector, aligning training programs and standards of care, and integrating private sector data into national HMIS. Furthermore, it enables the integration of community health workers into the broader health system, maximizing their impact and contribution to improving health outcomes and strengthening primary healthcare.

HIV Self-Testing to Take Off in India: Findings from the STAR Initiative

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Misinformation and Vaccine Hesitancy

The Frontline of Epidemic Preparedness and Response

HOW COULD PRIVATE SECTOR PHARMACIES AND DRUG SHOPS ADVANCE PROGRESS TOWARDS UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE?

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The Consumer as CEO

Digitalizing contraceptive counseling to reach rural women and girls in Ethiopia

Building community health worker capacity to deliver malaria care

Taking a market-based approach to scale sanitation in Ethiopia

Promoting self-managed care like Self-testing and Self-Sampling

Using peer coaches to counter HIV stigma in South Africa

simplifying consumers’ journey to care in Vietnam

Engaging the private sector for disease surveillance in Myanmar

Training health workers in Angola

WHISTLEBLOWER AND ANTI-RETALIATION

Global Code of Business Conduct And Ethics

The Future of Work

Meaningful Youth Engagement

Zero Tolerance for Modern-Day Slavery and Human Trafficking

UNITED NATIONS GLOBAL COMPACT

Environmental Sustainability

Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity

Zero Tolerance for Discrimination and Harassment

Diversity and Inclusion

Gender Equality

People & Communities

Scaling Digital Health Innovations

Supporting People to be Active Agents in their Healthcare

Cover

01 #PeoplePowered

02 Breaking Taboos

03 Moving Care Closer to Consumers

04 Innovating on Investments

ICFP Q&A: Let's Talk About Sex

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ICFP Q&A:
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