Male Clinic Model

EGPAF develops health care services designed to address the unique needs and barriers of each stage of the epidemic, including meeting the distinct health care needs of men.  

We first introduced comprehensive men’s clinics in Lesotho in 2017. The target was to establish 35 male clinics by 2020. Working alongside the Ministry of Health, focus group discussions were held to get an understanding of what “male-friendly services” would entail, identified space in 35 supported health facilities to establish men’s clinics. Seven of the male clinics started functioning in June 2017. To-date there are 33 male clinics in the country.

Male nurses were recruited and trained. Male staff provide services to men in an environment where male clients feel comfortable, addressing one of the key barriers to access health services.

Results

A high HIV positivity (upwards of 12%), high uptake of antiretroviral therapy (ART), and a low rate of men declining HIV testing.
Men who were not eligible for ART but knew of their status before “Treatment for All” was launched, visited clinics in large numbers to start treatment.
Some men have begun bringing their partners for testing, which has also established a platform for pre-exposure prophylaxis initiation in the case of serodiscordance.

From July 2020 to June 2021:

4,851 men eligible for testing 99% or 4,788 men tested for HIV 23% or 1,111 men tested HIV positive 89% of men who tested positive were initiated on ART; the remaining were TB presumptive. 26,470 men currently on ART in male clinics, cumultively 90% of men on ART did viral load testing 98% of men showed suppressed viral load results 23,460 total men with suppressed viral loads