This archive report was first published on 28 July 2019.
On July 28, 2019, a study published in the Journal of the International Aids Society revealed a promising approach to increasing HIV testing rates in Kenya.
Researchers found that contacting partners of individuals diagnosed with HIV led to a significant increase in HIV testing rates, particularly among men.
The study, which analyzed data from the Assisted Partner Service trial conducted in Kenya in 2015, found that men flocked to clinics in higher numbers when informed their female sexual partner had tested positive.
The Assisted Partner Service, a WHO-approved approach, involves trained health workers discreetly contacting partners of individuals newly diagnosed with HIV and offering them HIV testing.
When phone contact failed, health advisors physically traced the partners, resulting in a sixfold increase in HIV testing among partners of index participants who were newly diagnosed with HIV.
Further analysis showed that partners of HIV-positive participants aged less than 30 years tested more compared to partners of participants 30 years and older.
The study's findings have significant implications for HIV prevention and treatment efforts in Kenya and beyond.
