Medical science has advanced and found treatments for HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). Various laws across the world have been formulated to safeguard HIV patients’ health rights and to protect them against discrimination. But, millions of HIV patients still do not have access to tests, treatment and medication.
Although there has been significant progress in the Indian HIV response, there are still pockets of key populations (KPs) with an increasing prevalence of HIV. Targeted interventions (TI) are not reaching them either. There is a need for innovation and ideas to combat HIV/AIDS and for meeting all the set goals to eliminate HIV by 2030.
To address this, Swasti, with funding support from Aidsfonds, implemented the pilot project, MITHR, fast-tracking Bangalore’s response to HIV through a pilot community-led testing model, the first of its kind in India.
The primary goal of this pilot study was to reach insufficiently reached and previously unreached KPs—men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender people and women who has sex with women (WSW); as well as their partners or clients (non KPs) with HIV Testing Services (HTS) to contribute to 90% of PLHIV (persons living with HIV) knowing their status, and being successfully referred for confirmation testing, counselling and treatment.