- Forming and sustaining a consortium of partners and stakeholders to address the HIV burden in the state.
- Identifying and mapping out communities and unreached hot spots with key population requiring HIV prevention, care and treatment services.
- Strategic HIV testing activities including one-on-one counseling and home-based testing.
- Utilizing the Differentiated Service Delivery Models such as community pharmacy, community anti-retroviral treatment to ensure retention of clients in HIV care.
- Tracking of clients who miss appointments through phone calls, home visits and home delivery of drugs.
- Training of health care workers on Dried Blood Spot Viral Load collection to improve their services.
- Utilizing strategies to improve viral load sample collection. This includes use of Treatment Support Specialists for viral load sample collection, and collection of samples through community pharmacies.
SURGE in the midst of COVID-19 outbreak
With the COVID-19 outbreak, the project is carrying out the following to ensure that people living with HIV are reached with prevention, care and treatment services,
- Dissemination COVID-19 related messages to patients via Bulk SMS
- Home delivery of drugs and pick up of viral load samples
- Ensuring the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) by health care providers and patients.
- Using community testers for HIV testing, and reducing patient waiting time at facilities
- Using of phone calls for Enhanced Adherence Counselling
- Aggressive phone and physical tracking of clients who miss hospital appointments due to lockdown or restriction of movement.
