LINKAGES Quarterly Report (January 1–March 31, 2018) – MALI

The project is implemented through four local non-governmental organizations (NGOs): Association de Recherche, de Communication et d'Accompagnement à Domicile des Personnes Vivant avec le VIH et le SIDA (ARCAD-SIDA), Association pour la Protection et la Promotion de la Famille (APPF), Initiative Malienne d'Appui au Developpement Local (IMADEL), and SOUTOURA. The project covers 285 "hot spots" with 78 key population peer educators (PEs) and provides direct technical and financial support to 11 clinics in Mali. The project has launched a virtual mapping process for the development of a "virtual social outreach" approach. The geographic coverage of the project has been extended to 21 health districts, with a total of 285 "hot spots" identified. During the second quarter of fiscal year 2018, the project reached 1,438 FSWs, 621 clients of FSWs, and 400 MSM with HIV prevention interventions. A total of 1,652 FSWs, 453 clients of FSWs, and 225 MSM were eligible for HIV testing, with 90 percent (1,486/1,652) of FSWs, 96 percent (434/453) of clients of FSWs, and 68 percent (154/225) of MSM tested and receiving their results. The HIV case finding rates were 3.9 percent (58/1,486) for FSWs, 1.6 percent (7/451) for clients of FSWs, and 1.3 percent (3/225) for MSM. The project also provided family planning services to FSWs, including 82 cycles of oral contraceptives, 178 Depo Provera injections, and 59 insertions of Jadelle implants. A total of 227 incidents of gender-based violence (GBV) were reported, with primary care provided to 132 (58 percent) key population individuals. The project has developed a curriculum to reinforce knowledge of police officers in terms of prevention and management of GBV among key populations. The project has also made progress in increasing the availability of comprehensive prevention, care, and treatment services for key populations. A total of 2,353 key population individuals (FSWs and MSM) and clients of sex workers reached and eligible for testing were tested for HIV and received results, with 88.8 percent (2,091/2,353) tested and receiving results. The HIV case finding rate was 3.3 percent (68/2,353) among key population individuals. The project has identified challenges in reaching MSM due to an increase in cases of violence observed during the second quarter in towns and verbal abuse on the radio. The project plans to implement the enhanced peer outreach approach (EPOA) and the index testing approach to increase HIV case finding, linkage to care, and ART initiation. The project will also participate in the national HIV campaign and carry out microplanning using recent mapping/hot spot validation results to expand coverage.