Khotla: Male-Friendly Clinics in Lesotho

Intervention Title: Male-Friendly Clinics in Lesotho: Demand Creation Targeting HIV-Infected Men to Access Comprehensive Health Services / Khotla

Implementing Partner: Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF)

Description/Activities:  Male-only spaces/corners, specific male-only hours, male providers; male friendly clinics leverage existing infrastructure to provide a separate space, or in some cases dedicated times, to allow only men to access primary health care services. The services in the men’s clinics offer flexible appointment schedules, longer working hours, service delivery by staff trained in providing male-friendly services, multi-disease consultations, one-stop-shop for consultation and drug dispensing (e.g. ARV drug refills), short waiting times, and focus on male health care needs. Sensitization of communities on the availability of services through radio interviews was shown as an effective way to get men to attend clinics.  

What Makes the Intervention Unique/Different:  Baseline focus group discussions were held to obtain an understanding of what ‘male-friendly’ services would entail. Male nurses and counselors were recruited and trained. These male staff would provide services to men in an environment where men felt comfortable and offered a “one-stop shop” that focused on male health care needs.  

Impact Data:  Of 36,793 visits, 23,823 were either known to be HIV positive or had a recent negative HIV test (ineligible for testing). Therefore 12,970 men were eligible for HIV testing, of whom 98% or 12,753 consented to be tested.  The HIV testing yield was 13.5%.  Linkage to treatment for those found to be positive was 120%. After 6-months, the country team observed high HTS yield (>10%) in males 20-49 years old, and over 100% linkage to treatment in males 25-50+ years old. 

Reference/Website:  https://www.pepfarsolutions.org/solutions/2018/11/6/male-friendly-clinics-demand-creation-targeting-hiv-infected-men-to-access-comprehensive-health-services