November 2023 – September 2025
Côte d'Ivoire
After decades of screening limited to offers within health structures, community screening strategies have more recently enabled demedicalization, but still do not reach the hardest-to-reach populations. HIVST contributes to this dynamic by making it possible to go further in terms of access to testing, while empowering the user.
In Côte d’Ivoire, the HIV epidemic has a prevalence of 1.82% in the general population (240,000 adult women vs. 120,000 adult men).
Key populations: Sex workers (SW) (4.8%), men who have sex with men (MSM) (7.7%) and drug users (DU) (3.4%), who account for the majority of new infections.
96% of people living with HIV (PLwHIV) diagnosed have access to treatment BUT those most at risk of HIV infection remain beyond the reach of testing services.
General objectives
To support the implementation of the National HIV Strategic Plan 2021-2025 through ongoing technical assistance (TA) to the National AIDS Control.
Specific objectives:
- Support progressive national scaling-up in relevant health services and at community level for priority populations.
- Support the development, regulation, accessibility and quality of self-testing in the private sector.
Beneficiaries
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High HIV prevalence and/or hard-to-reach populations
Results
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Expanding targeted testing services: Services were improved through two monitoring missions covering 8 regions, 17 districts, 12 community-based facilities, and 25 public facilities, with 225 staff members receiving training, thereby contributing to national HIV goals.
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Expanding free access and care referrals: Access was expanded through the distribution of 94,288 self-tests (reaching 94,288 people) and strengthened by training 20 focal points across four ministries, thereby facilitating referrals to care.
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Access to ADVIH in private pharmacies: availability has increased following the training of 34 pharmacists in Abidjan, with a planned expansion through an e-learning platform targeting 1,000 pharmacists (Q1 2026).
