AHF India Cares and Palladium India lead major HIV testing initiative across nine states

New Delhi: As World HIV Vaccination Day approaches on May 18, AHF India Cares and Palladium India have partnered on a groundbreaking initiative to enhance early HIV diagnosis and treatment linkage across nine states and 22 districts in India.

Despite the global challenge of HIV/AIDS, which affects an estimated 38 million people worldwide and 2.3 million in India, early detection and care remain crucial in managing the epidemic.

The community-based HIV Testing and Linkage (CBHTL) project aims to improve health outcomes for People Living with HIV (PLHIV) through timely intervention and comprehensive care. This year, the program has already screened 66,187 individuals, identifying 994 HIV-positive cases, with 84% successfully linked to Antiretroviral Therapy (ART).

The impact of this initiative is exemplified by the story of Ranjita Devi (name changed), who tested positive for HIV during a screening camp in Samastipur, Bihar, in February 2023. Her journey through multiple confirmatory tests highlighted the critical need for accurate diagnosis and swift linkage to care. With the intervention of Palladium and support from healthcare professionals, Ranjita was finally diagnosed and started treatment in January 2024. Today, she lives a healthy life and actively raises awareness about HIV in her community.

Amit Patjoshi, CEO of Palladium India, expressed gratitude for the partnership with AHF India Cares, “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to AHF India Cares for this invaluable partnership.” He further added, “Recognizing the significance of last-mile support, AHF India Cares collaborated with Palladium India to bolster community-based rapid testing, counseling, and linkage services across 9 States and 22 districts of India. Palladium is working within the framework of the National AIDS and STI Control Programme (NACP) to ensure that no individual is left behind in the fight against HIV/AIDS. In 2023, the project screened a total of 2,51,000 persons with and attained a 90% linkage to Antiretroviral Therapy (ART). While this year, the program has already screened 66,187 people for HIV, of which 994 people are HIV positive with 84% linked to ART.”