“When it comes to testing for HIV, people want privacy, confidentiality, and control of the place where they learn their status.” – Heather Awsumb, Population Services International (PSI)

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 75% of people living with HIV (PLHIV) know their HIV status. In order to meet the ambitious target of 90% PLHIV knowing their status by 2020 and 95% by 2025, there’s an urgent need to accelerate detection. Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Population Services International (PSI) and Unitaid have been investing and implementing several large-scale studies with a variety of tests and distribution models to demonstrate the critical role that HIV self testing plays in attainment of the goal. PSI’s 5-year program called STAR in Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland targets conducting about 5 million tests by 2020, of which they have already done 3.5 million. The success of this work is evident in the fact that another 4 million tests have been sold in these countries, leveraging the work being done by PSI in their program.

The Clinton Health Access Initiative is also working on Advanced HIV Disease, in line with the WHO guidelines, with funding from Unitaid to re-instate the role for CD4 testing in management of HIV, specifically for management of Opportunistic Infection in patients who have a weakened immune system.

Do Good. Do It Well^™

BD Global Health has partnered with Devex International Development to launch a dedicated digital platform to drive a global conversation about healthcare worker and patient safety. The program will launch with a series of portraits featuring individuals that have experienced needlestick injuries and become advocates for healthcare providers and patient safety. The integrated series of content will roll out over several weeks this spring and will contain informational articles, social media posts, statistics, and videos.

Making STRIDES against MDR TB

BD Global Health’s partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to strengthen the health systems in 10-countries for improving access to quality diagnosis for detection and management of Drug Resistant TB (DST) kicked off in India last year. Training of trainers was conducted for participants from 31 labs in the country in two rounds leading to a 40% increase in knowledge levels of microbiologists on Liquid Culture and DST. At the same time, four labs were assessed for gaps in Liquid Culture and DST testing at these labs and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India is preparing an action plan to address these.

Stay tuned to BD.com for more information about the Devex digital platform launch, as well as updates from this year’s Global Health annual summit 2019.