Index case testing is a voluntary process where sexual or injecting drug partners, and children of an HIV-infected individual are screened and tested for HIV. In early 2020, PEPFAR announced global minimum standards for safe and ethical index case testing (ICT) in response to concerns about stigma, discrimination, and intimate partner violence. These standards stipulate that all index testing must meet the five Cs: be consensual, confidential, include counseling, have correct test results, and connect the patient to treatment or prevention services.  Any healthcare centers that don’t meet the criteria will not be able to use PEPFAR funds to support ICT efforts in FY 2021. To address this, in March 2020, the USAID Sustainable HIV and TB Responses from Technical Assistance (SHIFT) project surveyed 35 supported sites to determine if they met the ICT criteria. Based on their findings, technical experts from USAID SHIFT organized customized training, developed standard operating procedures, and published communication materials to help gaps at these sites. In mid-September, USAID and PEPFAR conducted site assessments and all thirty-five sites passed the assessment.

So What? With improved capacity to address adverse events and provide support services for individuals who have experienced violence, these sites are now able to work towards their FY 2021 case finding targets while providing ICT services aligned with global best practices.