Solidarity And Action Against The Hiv Infection In India

Expanding access to Prevention of Parent to Child Transmission (PPTCT) services in India's private healthcare sector, SAATHII initiated Project Svetana to establish public-private partnerships, addressing challenges of coverage gaps. Its m-Maitri initiative utilizes Interactive Voice Messaging (IVR) to ensure timely treatment and retention in the PPTCT cascade. Additionally, COPE complements Svetana by placing outreach staff in high-impact districts, while Mobile Integrated Counseling and Testing Centres (ICTC) extend HIV counselling and testing services to unreached populations. SAATHII's comprehensive efforts contribute to the elimination of Pediatric HIV by enhancing ART initiation, early infant diagnosis, and service coverage.

Amplifying community voices, SAATHII focuses on universal access to rights, health, justice, and social welfare for the LGBTIQA+ community. Its initiatives span states like Gujarat, Kerala, Manipur, and more, partnering with organisations such as AMANA and Queerala. Projects include a Mental Health Study on stigma, Santi Seva for transgender communities' well-being in Odisha, HIV/AIDS Support Center, Network East and North-East projects, a film-based research project called "From the Third Eye," consultations on transgender and Hijra issues, and a cross-sectional study on STIs/HIV among trans-women in Chennai. Through these efforts, SAATHII drives advocacy, health improvement, and holistic support for the LGBTIQA+ community.

In the realm of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCH+A), SAATHII is dedicated to enhancing decentralized care accessibility in both public and private sectors. Executed through the USAID grant Project Sambhuya, its initiatives include Mera Aspataal, a collaboration with USAID and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which employs IVR technology to gather patient feedback and has engaged millions of patients in over a thousand facilities across 28 states. SAATHII also lends support to the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Yojana, contributing to multi-state evaluation and implementation in Madhya Pradesh. Moreover, its efforts extend to elevating the quality of Antenatal Care in private tea garden hospitals in Assam, with expansion plans for the coming year.

SAATHII actively engages in HIV/STI prevention among high-risk and at-risk populations. Its initiatives encompass diverse projects like Project Subhiksha, which expands HIV, STI, and TB screening in closed settings across 11 states through a peer-led model. Additionally, Project Sahay focuses on online and offline HIV screening among high-risk groups. Completed endeavours include STRC, strengthening the capacity of NGOs for targeted interventions, and the Hifazat Project, training Outreach Workers on harm reduction. SAATHII extends its efforts to projects like Project Nakshatra, which enhances access to STI treatment services and evaluates the multi-skilling of front-line health workers for HIV/AIDS services in Manipur. It also provide technical assistance in developing HIV response strategies for MSM, Hijra, and transgender populations in Rajasthan.

SAATHII engages in activities encompassing Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH), HIV awareness, and rights advocacy. One of its projects focuses on enhancing the health equity of sexual minorities and People Living with HIV (PLHIV) in Odisha and West Bengal, aligning with national health programmes and the Indian Constitution. Another initiative, Project Pehchān, backed by The Global Fund, targets the reversal of the HIV epidemic among MSM, TG, and Hijra communities through community-based organisations. Project Sashakt strengthens systems for MSM, Hijra, and TG communities, while a study addresses young women's needs and livelihoods in urban areas. These efforts work towards creating an enabling environment for easy access to services and rights for marginalized populations.