The Society for Family Health (SFH) on Tuesday announced the successful completion of a pilot activity of its project for implementing Strengthening HIV Self-testing in Private Sector (SHIPS).
In its first tranche, the SHIPS project conducted extensive qualitative market research to gather insights and perceptions from both users and providers along the HIV Self Testing (HIVST) journey. SFH explained that, with the ambitious goal of achieving the UNAIDS 95:95:95 target by 2030, the project sought to identify crucial obstacles hindering the scale-up of private-sector HIVST and develop innovative models to overcome them.
The project is funded by the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation through Population Services International, and during her pilot implementation, the project dedicated its efforts to fostering the growth of HIVST in the private sector market through various pilot elements.
By addressing key barriers and failures that hinder market expansion, the aim was to achieve a substantial public health impact. Employing a design approach, demand and supply side interventions were developed and tested, while actively engaging stakeholders throughout the process to foster consensus on market growth, including discussions on financial contributions and responsibilities.
Additionally, the project effectively coordinated with other donors and implementers across HIVST implementation to optimize investments and enhance overall outcomes. The aim was to revolutionize the private sector market for HIV self-testing (HIVST) by addressing key challenges and paving the way for scalable solutions.
“As part of the project’s commitment to programmatic learning, the SHIPS project is delighted to announce its end-of-pilot dissemination meeting. This event serves as an opportunity to share key findings and lessons learned from the project with relevant stakeholders, enabling informed decision-making and promoting positive changes in relevant policy and program areas,” said SFH in a statement released on Tuesday.
The managing director of Society for Family Health, Omokhudu Idogho, applauded the support given by the government of Nigeria and other stakeholders in this drive toward developing a sustainable market with huge private sector support. He restated the commitment of SFH to supporting the government’s total market approach for HIV self-testing.
Also speaking. the project lead for Nigeria, Dennis Aizobu, informed the stakeholders of the project results, saying “we are thrilled to unveil the outcomes of the SHIPS project’s pilot activity and disseminate our valuable findings to stakeholders.”
Aizobu further expressed that “through collaborative efforts and innovative approaches, we have laid the groundwork for strengthening HIV self-testing in the private sector. This dissemination meeting will catalyse positive change and pave the way for future scaling of HIVST initiatives.
“The SHIPS project invites stakeholders, policymakers, health professionals, and other interested parties to join this significant event. Together, we can chart the road map for the scale-up of HIV self-testing in the private sector, ensuring that individuals have access to convenient and confidential testing services that empower them to take control of their health.”
