SRINAGAR: The index testing campaign in the UTs of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh was today launched by the Project Director, of Jammu and Kashmir Aids Control Society (JKACS), Dr Abdul Rouf Bhat to reach out to at-risk population with unknown HIV Status.
This campaign will help in achieving the national goal of achieving the 1st 95 (95% of People living with HIV should know their status).
JKACS has conducted a one-day orientation cum training programme for all the ICTC, Targeted Intervention Projects/STI and ART Counsellors/data managers on Index testing and its reporting in the SOCH portal on 20th April.
In Jammu, the Index testing campaign was launched by the Additional Director, JKACS Dr. Manu Bhatnagar.
Speaking on this development, Project Director JKACS stressed upon all the facilities that index testing when implemented appropriately and safely, can identify undetected HIV infection earlier and link them to Antiretroviral treatment services, break the chain of transmission and linking HIV negative At-Risk populations to comprehensive combination prevention services at TI, ICTC/STI/ OST etc.
Index testing services (ITS), or partner notification services, is a voluntary case-finding approach where trained providers, with the consent of the HIV-positive client, focus on the elicitation of sexual and/or needle-sharing partners and biological children of the client and offer them HIV Counselling and Testing Services.
