Testing and Linkage to Care for Injecting Drug Users in Kenya

Testing and Linkage to Care for Injecting Drug Users in Kenya: Interventions for people who inject drugs (PWID) in sub-Saharan African have been almost entirely absent, despite the fact that in countries like Kenya they contribute a growing proportion of incident HIV infections. This study will leverage a historic decision in Kenya to launch needle exchange program (NSP) and related services for this most-at-risk population (MARP). The investigators will use this NSP/MARP platform to seek out PWID, deliver rapid HIV testing, point of care CD4 count and link to ART using peer case managers, and evaluate community viral load impact using a stepped wedge cluster-randomized design. Lessons learned will have important applicability throughout sub-Saharan African. HCV Among PWID in Kenya: A Supplement to the TLC-IDU study: The prevalence of HCV in Kenya, where an increasing number of people who inject drugs (PWID) live and are becoming HIV- as well as HCV-infected, has not been defined. We will establish HCV prevalence among PWID in Nairobi, Western, and Coastal region by adding HCV rapid and confirmatory tests in our parent PWID study (TLC-IDU Kenya); deliver appropriate counseling and treatment options to those eligible; collect HCV treatment adherence data; and disseminate study findings. These data will provide novel and relevant information about HCV and HIV co-infection in Kenya among PWID that will be immediately applicable in terms of public health impact to national and regional HCV testing, counseling, and clinical management policy.