Over 30,000 people tested for HIV – thanks to research

Since 2011, SolidarMed has been working in Lesotho with institutions such as the University of Basel, the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) and the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine in Bern to promote research. It is crucial that the research projects directly benefit the local health system and research subjects and that they deal with issues that are relevant to the region. Another important element is that the studies open up career opportunities for employees on the ground. The research findings are not only shared within the country, but also internationally. The costs of the research are borne by research partners; SolidarMed doesn’t use any donation funds for this purpose. The years of research have given rise to over 60 publications. Around 20 students from Lesotho have earned a Master’s degree, and three are working on a doctoral thesis.

It should be noted that household-based HIV testing campaigns are now no longer recommended as the majority of the population now knows their HIV status, in other words most people who are living with HIV are aware of it. However, the methods (self-testing, follow-up visit etc.) are still used, e.g. during campaigns in schools, in mines in Lesotho and South Africa, and in campaigns targeted at people with a high risk of contracting HIV.