Follow-up on large-scale online evidence collection to support young people
Follow-up on large-scale online evidence collection to support young people
In February we shared information about our collaboration with Upinion.
Aidsfonds and Y+ Kenya have started a pilot project with Upinion, a social enterprise. Through an innovative technology, Upinion offers the opportunity to be directly in touch with a big group of respondents and to easily collect and analyse responses. The pilot project started in December 2019 and is still running. Our aim is to expand the technology in Kenya and to other countries.
In this news item we share the information we have received from Y+ Kenya. Y+ Kenya is part of our PITCH programme and advocates for improving treatment for young people living with HIV.
Our Aim
Alarming stories came to our attention of young people living with HIV who were given expired ARVs. With this study we wanted to find out how often this occurs and where. Then COVID-19 arrived in Kenya and this was included in the conversations had with young people living with HIV in order to find out about their knowledge on COVID, especially in relation to HIV.
I was given expired drugs for a really long time after which I became detectable and lost hope.
- Young participant who is living with HIV
Continued ARV access is crucial
What was worrying under the COVID-19 restrictions is that 68% of the respondents had less than a month's supply of ARVs. As many of collect their ARVs at a different location from where they live. Together with Y+ Kenya we raise awareness on the importance of continued access to ARVs under COVID-19 conditions. With the help of the Ministry of Health young people are now able to access two weeks of treatment with their collection card at any health facility nearest to them.
More information on the findings
For more information on the findings, please read this one pager by Y+ Kenya which answers such questions as how we talked to young people, what we do with these findings and what's up next.