Angsamerah POS (AngPos) is an innovation from Angsamerah as model of a fast, easy and inexpensive HIV checkpoint, which aims to increase the number of people to access HIV testing as early as possible and start antiretroviral treatment as soon as possible.
In communities with a high risk of being infected with HIV, early detection is the right step to break the chain of transmission. With early detection, each new patient can immediately start antiretroviral therapy (ARV) so that health problems towards the AIDS stage can be avoided, and PLHIV can still work and has high quality of life. Research also shows that when PLHIV takes ARV regularly and their viral load then shows undetectable results (below 200), then the risk of transmitting HIV from PLHIV to sexual partners is zero.
The target of Angsamerah POS is the millennial generation aged 19-35 years, because it is in this age range that the risk of transmission is generally high. Angsamerah POS was also here to reduce the community’s stigma towards HIV testing. There were many reasons someone was reluctant to do HIV testing. Common reasons that delay a person from getting tested for HIV are; worrying about a positive test result, fearing that the test result will be known to others, feeling at no risk, feeling no symptoms, not offering testing, HIV testing is an expensive test, there is no time, and no. want to be labeled as bad by health workers when doing the test.
Apart from HIV testing, the Angsamerah POS service always includes other rapid diagnostic tests such as blood sugar, cholesterol and uric acid tests, and additional tests as needed. Clients also get doctor consultation. The team consists of professionals who are competent, friendly without stigma and respecting client’s privacy, and they work at the Angsamerah Clinics. In every activity we invite staff from other foundation / peer group to join for reaching the clients and providing educational session.
The operation of this activity comes from the government’s support in the form of HIV testing reagents, volunteers from the community, staff and funds from the Angsamerah Foundation, clients who buy the services, and donations from Angsamerah friends.