Centre for Integrated Health Programs (CIHP) took over implementation of the Lagos SURGE project in October 2019 with a baseline of under 27,000 people living with HIV (PLHIV) being supported on HIV care and treatment. Following innovations adopted by the project, the number of PLHIV receiving life-saving HIV medications and care have increased to 76,000.
- CIHP also leveraged on high volume private laboratories to link HIV positive clients identified within the private laboratories to CIHP supported health facilities for anti-retroviral treatment services.
INNOVATIONS IN CASE FINDING
CIHP implemented the following innovations;
- Partnered six Key Population Community Based Organizations (CBOs) to identify individuals who previously have not known their HIV status. This was done through weekly outreaches, moonlight, and in-house party testing at these hotspots/locations.
- Established Community Antiretroviral Treatment (CART) teams for HIV case finding. The teams mapped new/untapped locations and carried out advocacy to give way to smooth entrance into these hotspots. CIHP provided free HIV Testing Services, retested HIV positive clients, commenced them on anti-retroviral treatment within the community and subsequently registered them with the nearest Key Population One Stop Shop for other prevention services.
- Scaled HIV testing services for sexual partners, needle sharing partners and biological children of newly identified HIV positive individuals (index testing).
- Maximized index testing within the key and general population via CART members as well as trained lay volunteer HIV testers.
