Regular medical check-ups were encouraged once in three months and HIV and syphilis screening once in six months. These services were institutionalised within the existing health system, and offered with respect and by ensuring dignity to all KPs, thus improving access and service uptake by nurturing an enabling environment. The KA TSU had taken a lead in sensitising the Medical Officers on the needs of KPs in order to make the government facilities KP-friendly and to reduce stigma and discrimination. Through integration into the existing health system, a wider service base in the state was created for effective prevention, detection, referrals and treatment linkages for HIV. Additionally, efforts were on to converge HIV service linkages with the ongoing activities of National Health Mission, Reproductive and Child Health, Tuberculosis control, and reproductive and sexual health services.

The TSU has supported KSAPS in developing a systematic structure and plan of action to undertake interventions with children and adolescent daughters of KPs and PLHIV in the state. Community consultations indicated the need for addressing the mental health and wellbeing of these children and young girls. The KA TSU conducted discussions with Psychologists, skill development agencies and KSAPS to identify solutions that had the potential to address these needs. Need assessments and counseling sessions were conducted among children and adolescents. This revealed that, in order to provide a wide range of livelihood options, a course curriculum needs to be designed, incorporating soft skills, vocational training and basic job skills.

The KA TSU had been instrumental in leading the development of ‘Single window model for Social Protection’, that aims to facilitate entitlements and schemes provided by the State and Central Government to all eligible vulnerable groups for the most-at-risk population, PLHIV and their children. The KA TSU had capacitated the TI partners in implementing the social protection and empowerment intervention with the objectives of: (i) encouraging and promoting empowerment among KPs (ii) ensuring fulfilment of social and economic wellbeing (iii) protection of KPs from vulnerability arising from poverty and other structural factors.