Mumbai, Dec 10 (UNI) Avegen launches a mobile app in Hindi that empowers people living with HIV (PLHIV) with correct information, motivation & skills to adopt healthy behavior.

It is a platform that improves treatment literacy.

As per the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) estimates of 2017, there were 2.14 million people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in India with an estimated adult HIV prevalence of 0.22 per cent, a statement said.

National AIDS Control Programme IV of NACO seeks to halt and reverse the epidemic in India by integrating programmes for prevention, care, support, and treatment. The goal of the programme was to provide anti-retroviral therapy (ART) to 3,00,000 adults and 40,000 children by March 2022 and achieve a high level of

adherence to ART and minimise the number of patients lost to follow up.



Of the 2.14 million PLWHA, 0.33 million were from Maharashtra and of them 75,220 PLWHA were registered in Mumbai under MDACS with approximately 46,000 PLWHA on active care (alive and taking ART).

'Our HIV app will address the issue of adherence to the ART regime which is an important part of the HIV treatment cascade. People Living with HIV who have been recently diagnosed require both counseling and treatment support for them to adapt to lifestyle changes around taking medication', Founder and CEO of digital healthcare company Avegenr Nayan Kalnad said.

This app would provide a platform to PLHIV on ART (Anti-Retroviral Therapy) regime.

Through the medium of videos, infographics, and quizzes, the app would inform, educate and communicate the importance of maintaining ART medication schedules. The app was listed in the Google Play Store as a Health app without any reference to HIV. It also integrates an OTP and PIN technology to assure confidentiality.

The App integrates a reward mechanism in the form of points and provides an 'Achievement matrix' through gamification.

PLHIV individuals get points for watching videos, reading infographics and answering quizzes correctly. The app aims to reduce the Loss to Follow Up of PLHIV at the ART centers.

The app includes information about pills, treatment adherence, side effects, dispels the misconceptions associated with the disease and helps allay stigma. Pill reminders ensuring adherence and optimal viral suppression and Mood indicator system to track the psychological status of the patients.

'With 30 thematic videos, 30 thematic infographics, quizzes on good health, follow up, mentoring support, missed KPs, our mobile app will address adherence by educating and empowering people living with HIV' added Pallav Patankar, Head of Partnerships at Avegen.

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