Role of a civil society consortium in improving HIV treatment, care and support in six high prevalence states in India

Issue addressed: The first civil society consortium to partner with the Government of India was formed in 2005 to strengthen community response to the HIV epidemic to ensure universal access to treatment, care and support for people living with HIV (PLHIV).

Description: The consortium is comprised of five partners representing the NGO sector, networks of positive people and private industries. It complements efforts of the National AIDS Control Organization in the public sector for providing treatment, care and support to PLHIV in India. With funding from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) Round IV the consortium is i) creating and strengthening networks of positive people and care and support centers for PLHIV on antiretroviral therapy and ii) building capacities of health care providers; namely counselors, social workers, peer educators and clinical staff to provide quality care and support.

Lessons learned: The consortium demonstrates the feasibility of an institutional strengthening approach for building capacity of the NGO and private sector to provide care and support services for people accessing ART through the national HIV treatment program. This partnership has made meaningful participation of civil society in the GFATM Country Coordinating Mechanism a reality.

Recommendations: Bringing together a number of partners who complement each other with diverse strengths, can play a critical role in scaling up efforts to provide HIV treatment, care and support. Regular communication between partners, joint planning, clear understanding of roles and responsibilities, and transparency in processes have been key factors in the consortium's success.