Implementation of digital HIV services in Guangzhou’s primary health-care system, China
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World Health Organization
Abstract
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This article describes the development, implementation and evaluation of WellTest, a digital mini-application integrated into the WeChat platform to support voluntary HIV counselling and testing services in Guangzhou, China. Developed jointly by the Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Lingnan Community Support Center, the intervention was designed to address barriers to access, including limited information on available services, concerns about stigma, appointment difficulties and variations in service quality. The application provides on-demand information, facilitates appointment scheduling and linkage to HIV-related services, enables user feedback on service quality, and supports electronic management and sharing of HIV test results.
Using data from the National HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Information System and the WellTest platform, the study assesses adoption and service utilization between 2018 and 2023. Findings indicate substantial uptake of the intervention across primary health-care facilities and a marked increase in the use of voluntary HIV counselling and testing services in these settings. The experience highlights the potential of digital health interventions to strengthen decentralized service delivery, improve access to HIV testing and support disease screening within primary health care, particularly in resource-constrained environments.
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