Description of Session
To achieve the UNAIDS goal of 95-95-95, a novel digital health surveillance application was implemented in three northern Zambia provinces by EQUIP/Right to Care-Zambia to improve HIV testing yield. As Zambia progresses towards epidemic control, identifying ART-naïve people living with HIV that do not know their status is becoming an increasingly rare event. Emphasis has shifted to increasing testing yield through more efficient testing modalities and well-supervised counseling staff. Real-time analysis of data and program efficiency in reaching targeted individuals is paramount to controlling the HIV epidemic. EQUIP implemented the QODE Lynx HIV testing application, a mHealth solution tailored for the Zambian context, beginning in August 2018. Lynx provides real-time HIV testing data with GPS coordinates through mobile data connections and is administered by local professional and lay counselors on any Android compatible device with geolocation data. The Lynx data input process sequence guides the user through the national testing policies as ascertained through focused questionnaires. Variables collected include counselor details, client demographics, HIV test and result, risk factors, screening questions for co-morbid conditions, and referrals for clients testing negative (PrEP and VMMC) or HIV-positive (ART clinic and index contacts). Data is then instantly uploaded in real-time (or when the device is connected to mobile data) and analyzed through interactive web-based dashboards by program and M&E managers.
