Let’s make a change through Community-Based HIV Testing, Treatment and Care.
This comprehensive community-based HIV testing, treatment and care service is an extension of the Angsamerah Clinic HIV service which is specifically provided to communities with a high risk of HIV infection who have economic difficulties and experience of social stigma from general public.
This service is one of the healthcare models in Angsamerah that is called Angsamerah POS, a post/checkpoint for fast, easy and inexpensive HIV testing services, and this service is open for public. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation, the Angsamerah Foundation has focused this service on high-risk groups, and we call it community-based health services.
This community-based service has started in June 2020 and to strive the activity to continue, and hoping to be expanded in various regions and organized by many parties, not only by Angsamerah Clinic.
Angsamerah sees the need from society to access HIV services for prevention, testing and diagnostic, to antiretroviral (ARV) care and treatment that are easy, comfortable, inexpensive, good quality, and continuum comprehensive care.
Currently, the community’s need for HIV services is very diverse. Angsamerah strives to provide service options that suit individual and group needs. This service is expected to be able to assist the community to access HIV services easily, by minimizing the unnecessary barriers, and giving attention support on issues related to social, psychological and economic aspects.
Angsamerah realizes that gaps will continue to exist in the effort to meet these needs, and these gaps are part of a change process. Angsamerah has a positive spirit to work with the government and other organizations to contribute as best as possible to minimize existing gaps.
Moreover, with the current conditions of the Covid-19 pandemic, the gap between the need for HIV services and the availability of HIV services is widening due to restrictions on community mobility and restrictions on direct interaction between health workers and patients in health facilities. This community-based HIV testing, treatment and care service is expected to be a solution to this problem.
This service can run because of the partnership of all contributing parties according to their own capacity. Angsamerah will never be able to do it alone. In providing this service, Angsamerah integrates with local and national government programs. Currently there are 5 communities that collaborate with Angsamerah in this service, Inter Medika Foundation (YIM), Jakarta Pesona Foundation (YPJ), Kusuma Buana Foundation (YKB), Srikandi Sejati Foundation (YSS), and Bandung Wangi Association Foundation. Funding support was obtained from Linkages, USAID Indonesia, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), and Angsamerah Foundation.
Positive communities responses:
This type of partnership is helping out in increasing the number of people taking HIV testing, early detection, and ARV to other treatments, though in the current conditions in HIV services are not yet returned to normal.
Through a service that has been running from June to the end of December 2020, it is recorded that 1520 people from the community have accessed HIV testing, 115 of them were diagnosed with HIV, and 78 people have immediately received ARV from the Angsamerah Clinic. A total of 37 continued ARV treatment (ART) at other health centers and clinics.
Continuing to 2021, it is recorded that 4142 people from the community have accessed HIV testing, 143 of them were diagnosed with HIV, and 64 people have immediately received ARV from the Angsamerah Clinic. A total of 79 continued ARV treatment (ART) at other health centers and clinics.
Angsamerah is open for partnerships with communities who are interested in partnering. Partnerships are not only focused on testing and treatment services, we also open up possibilities in educational, social, psychological and economic aspects.
If you are interested in partnering with Angsamerah, please fill out the partnership form.