Abbott partners YRGCARE to launch innovative outreach centers for tackling HIV in India

New Delhi: Abbott, in partnership with YRGCARE has unveiled two groundbreaking facilities aimed at combatting the spread of HIV and other infectious diseases across India. These initiatives are pivotal components of the Abbott Pandemic Defense Coalition, a global alliance focused on scientific research and epidemic prevention.

The first facility, named “The Blue Shed,” is strategically situated in Delhi’s Yamuna Bazar, renowned for its high HIV transmission rates among the transient population. This center is designed to offer a comprehensive array of services, including testing, treatment, counseling, and social support to individuals vulnerable to HIV, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases. Equipped with advanced on-site laboratory facilities, The Blue Shed aims to bolster early detection capabilities to effectively monitor and manage disease outbreaks.

In Mizoram, YRGCARE has established an adolescent center in Aizawl aimed at at-risk youth susceptible to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. This center offers comprehensive services including testing, treatment, counseling, mental health support, and educational programs to empower young individuals in safeguarding their health.

Over 2500 individuals are expected to benefit from these centers within the next year, with more than 600 already registered at The Blue Shed in Delhi and over 1600 enrolled at the adolescent center in Aizawl, Mizoram.

Sunil Solomon, Chairman, YRGCARE said, “Through our work with people in these areas, we recognized that meeting more of their needs and transitioning from a disease focus to a person focus could have a better opportunity to get them connected to healthcare and counselling. The HIV epidemic in India remains a public health issue and outbreaks can easily move from one area of the country to another as people migrate. Both facilities are an example of the type of innovation that is needed to address viral transmission amongst harder-to-reach populations that continue to experience high rates of HIV and hepatitis. This collaboration with Abbott is testament to the impact private-public partnerships can have in both identifying and responding to ongoing epidemics. The provision of testing services at centers will also help inform the emergence of new strains and need for new diagnostics.”

Dr. Gavin Cloherty, Head of Infectious Disease Research at Abbott’s diagnostic business said, “By ensuring more people who have HIV and other infectious diseases understand their status and have access to treatment, we can help stop the spread of this virus. In addition to its local importance, these facilities join an international network of organizations focused on viral surveillance and helping to prevent the next pandemic through the Abbott Pandemic Defense Coalition. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us how large-scale alliances spanning the globe are necessary to effectively address the burden of infectious diseases.”

YRGCARE has been actively engaged in Delhi since 2012, initially focusing on supporting people who inject drugs (PWID). Since 2014, in collaboration with Abbott, YRGCARE has expanded its services to provide holistic care beyond the scope of the HIV care continuum. Today, The Blue Shed not only provides medical services but also facilitates access to government-run opioid substitution therapy (OST), antiretroviral therapy (ART), and tuberculosis treatments as needed. Both centers exemplify innovative approaches to public health by integrating medical services with community support, aiming to improve health outcomes and social acceptance among vulnerable populations.