The Policy Paper is a result of a comparative 28-country report conducted by the COBATEST Network in 2022-2023.

Despite their valuable contributions, CSOs providing community HIV testing services encounter several challenges in their efforts to expand community HIV testing: inconsistent legal frameworks non-inclusion in national HIV plans, sustainability and funding, underutilization of data, provider training

To address these challenges and maximize the impact of community HIV testing efforts, the Policy Paper proposes a set of recommendations. 

The Policy Paper is a result of a comparative 28-country report conducted by the COBATEST Network in 2022-2023.

Communities and CSOs play a crucial role in advancing HIV testing initiatives, including HIV self-testing. Despite their efforts, they face specific challenges in implementing HIV self-testing initiatives. These challenges include: inconsistent legal frameworks, non-Inclusion in national HIV plans, lack of availability of HIV self-testing kits, high cost of HIV self-testing kits. 

The early diagnosis and treatment of HIV is crucial for reducing infection rates and improving the health outcomes of individuals and communities. PLHIV on effective ART have their viral load suppressed to an undetectable level, which means that they cannot pass on the virus even if other safer sex methods (e.g. a condom) are not used.[1] Community HIV testing has proven effective to detect new HIV cases, especially in communities where access to health care services is limited.