Kaushik Biswas
India
Title: Integrate to eliminate: Integration of HIV testing services with regular ANC screening—A case study from Ahana, Global fund supported project in 9 states of India
Biography
Biography: Kaushik Biswas
Abstract
Background: Evidence from India suggests access to PMTCT services for pregnant women in India remained very low with 218 priority districts identified where PMTCT services uptake remained even lower (0.27% to 29.8% - with an aggregate average of 18%) when compared with a national average of 42%. Complementing India’s dual elimination strategy of HIV and Syphilis. Districts with lower number of health facilities with a poor supply chain management system for HIV test kit and other consumables (13% HIV testing facilities to cater 45% of countries estimated pregnancy.
Methodology: India has an elaborate public health system to take care of the ANC registered pregnant women and the new born. There are 2 hundred thousand facilities with 412 medical colleges and 762 district hospitals, 1020 sub-district hospitals, 5390 community health centres, 25297 public health centres and around 150thousand sub centres to cater 28 million pregnancies for general ANC care. Programme initiated to Integrate of HIV testing services with these general public health set up. And successful integration has brought substantial progress towards achieving universal coverage of pregnant women with HIV testing. HIV testing has been initiated at the Village Health and Sanitation DY (VHND) through Ahana trained ANMS and Asha supervisors.
Result: Around 10 thousand peripheral health workers have been trained by Ahana on the HIV testing and then the related cascade. There are another pool of 10 thousand volunteers are trained under the scheme. The integration has resulted in a dramatic increase in the HIV testing among pregnant women from 21% in Sept,15 to 52% in Septmentber,16.
Conclusion: The integration of HIV testing and related services with the general public health has not only helped in increasing the HIV testing services but also contributed in removal of stigma attached to the disease. As ANMs and ASHA are very well accepted in the rural village level population so ASHA taking about the HIV and related service parameters has contributed in a big way towards generating the demand for HIV testing services among the pregnant women and also supported in getting more number of pregnant women tested towards reaching the Govt. of India mandate of MTCT.