HIV self-testing (HIVST) has shifted the paradigm for HIV testing, the first step in the care continuum. The Unitaid-funded HIV Self-Testing Africa (STAR) Initiative and the Atlas project implemented in West-Africa, have demonstrated a critical role for HIVST in reaching populations poorly served by traditional testing modalities, including men, adolescents and key populations. During COVID-19, HIV testing and treatment services have been affected globally with substantial declines in HIV diagnoses and ART initiations. HIV self-testing has been highlighted as critical tool that could address growing gaps. We will be demonstrating how STAR and Atlas have identified new entry points for HIVST to increase access to health care, how HIVST has been leveraged to maintain HIV testing services in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and how digital and mhealth solutions were designed to increase HIV self-testing access, support effective use and facilitate follow-up and linkage to care and prevention services. We will also be discussing the HIV Self-testing road map and the different steps towards creating an enabling environment for scale and long-term sustainability and how this road map could be applied for other self-diagnostics and self-care options. / L'autodépistage du VIH (ADVIH) a modifié le paradigme du dépistage du VIH, la première étape du continuum de soins. Financés par Unitaid, l'initiative HIV Self-Testing Africa (STAR) et le projet ATLAS, mis en œuvre en Afrique de l'Ouest, ont démontré le rôle essentiel de l’ADVIH pour atteindre les populations mal desservies par les modalités de dépistage traditionnelles, notamment les hommes, les adolescents et les populations clés. Rejoignez-nous lors de notre session satellite, organisée dans le cadre de la conférence IAS 2021, pour constater comment l’ADVIH peut améliorer l'accès aux soins de santé et peut être employé pour assurer les services de dépistage du VIH dans le contexte de la pandémie du COVID-19.

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• Session recording