In Uganda, UPHIA (2016-2017) found only 84% of people living with HIV know their status. The Uganda national consolidated HIV prevention, care, and treatment guidelines (2018) recommend assisted partner notification (APN) as a strategy to achieve widespread testing of those at risk. Through this approach, an individual testing positive is supported to disclose, to their sexual partner(s), their status and encourage them to take an HIV test. APN leads to improved outcomes such as linking couples to care, increasing adherence to treatment, and reducing stigma.
USAID RHITES-North, Lango project, implemented by John Snow Inc, (JSI), trains health care workers in the Lango region of Uganda to implement partner testing through HIV services, including APN, where a trained provider helps consenting index patients notify their sexual partner(s) about potential exposure to HIV infection. The provider then offers HIV testing to these partner(s). Couples are encouraged to test together and to disclose their HIV status to each other. This poster was presented at the AIDS 2020 Virtual Conference.
Authors: Pamela Donggo, Samuel Engulu, Gilbert Elijah Sangadi, Med Makumbi, 2020