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NATIONAL GUIDELINES ON COMMUNITY AND HOME-BASED CARE & STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

Nepal has entered a 'concentrated' epidemic with HIV prevalence consistently high among certain sub-populations such as injecting drug users (IDUs) and female sex workers (FSWs). The estimated number of total HIV infected persons (adult and children) for 2007 was 69,790, of which, 64,585 were adults (aged 15-49 years) and 1,857 were children (aged 0 to 14) (NCASC, 2008). By the end of 2007, HIV prevalence was estimated to be around 0.49 percent in the adult population (Ibid. 2008). While stigma and discrimination discourage people from seeking HIV testing, it is also creating an environment of fear and hesitancy among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) in accessing essential care services. It is the right of PLHA to access quality treatment and care, and given that health facilities in this country are already stretched, it is crucial to take care and support services into the homes and communities of PLHA.