LINKAGES FY19 Quarterly Report (October 1 – December 2018)

The project focused on female sex workers (FSW) and men who have sex with men (MSM). In the first quarter of FY19, the project implemented several interventions to reach KPs in Maseru and Leribe districts. Implementation during the first quarter of FY19 focused on start-up processes, including sub-granting processes for implementing partners Phelisanang Bophelong (PB) and Care for Basotho (CBA). The project also provided refresher trainings and technical assistance to implementing partners on strategies for reaching KPs. Additionally, the project scaled up health education and promotion to increase demand and uptake of HIV testing services. The project reached 524 FSW out of an annual target of 2,460 (21%) with HIV prevention interventions, including interpersonal communication sessions, motivational counseling, health screening, and linkages to further care and treatment. Among those tested, 12% tested HIV-positive, and 40% of newly diagnosed individuals were successfully linked to care and initiated on antiretroviral therapy (ART). The project also reached 867 MSM out of an annual target of 4,000 (21%) with HIV prevention interventions, including interpersonal communication sessions, motivational counseling, health screening, and linkages to further care and treatment. Among those tested, 8% tested HIV-positive, and 57% of newly diagnosed individuals were successfully linked to care and initiated on ART. The project conducted a two-day refresher training for implementing partners CBA and PB on programmatic mapping and micro-planning. The training aimed to improve programmatic mapping and micro-planning to reach KPs in hotspots. The project also supported the implementing partners to demarcate district maps in both Maseru and Leribe and allocate peer staff within specific zones and clusters. The project's hotspots mapping updates documented geographical coordinates of hotspots, KP population estimates, and risk profiling. The mapping exercise identified 165 hotspots for FSW, MSM, and TGs in six target councils in Maseru and Leribe. The project also introduced the 3CP model to address gaps in FY18 where HIV prevention interventions were not implemented systematically. Overall, the project's interventions aimed to increase the availability of comprehensive prevention, care, and treatment services for KPs affected by HIV. The project's focus on programmatic mapping and micro-planning and the introduction of the 3CP model aimed to improve the capacity to reach KPs in hotspots and provide a standard of comprehensive HIV prevention services.