HIV Awal (Early) Testing & Treatment Indonesia Project Intervention Phase

The intervention will introduce provider supervised and unsupervised self-testing as an option for early HIV diagnosis among MSM community in Denpasar Bali Indonesia.

In this intervention, there will be a change in the clinical practice of ART initiation. In the current practice, clients are asked to perform full pre-ART laboratory examination (complete blood count, liver and renal function tests) before decision of ART initiation. In this intervention, the study participants who are already confirmed as HIV positive and meet specific clinical criteria (see below) will initiate ART (antiretroviral therapy) immediately (after clients' approval) without having to perform full pre-ART laboratory examination. Here, laboratory criteria for initiating ART will be simplified and specific laboratory examination, I.e. creatinine test will be delayed in two weeks after ART initiation.

The CBOs involved in this intervention are Kebaya and Vesta. Kebaya is an CBO working for Transgender (TG) community. It serves as community gathering place for TG and others, as HIV testing site on regular bases, and also as shelter for homeless HIV patients. The proposed intervention Is that HATI Project will provide HIV testing and treatment in the community, CBO and brothel in collaboration with nearby Puskesmas.

HATI SMS reminder: short message services as reminders to inform ART patients when to take medication, visit the clinics (1 week before the next visit) and remind if they miss clinic appointment.

"The approach used in this intervention is an individual counselling with a MI approach, as it is considered a brief form of therapy have been known to be effective in improving HIV treatment adherence.~The sessions will be held from 3 to up to 10 MI counselling over 6-month period of intervention. The goal of this intervention is to help PWID gain an understanding of their medication-taking behaviors and the actions necessary to successfully maintain a high level of adherence"