The journey of an HIV self-testing App: from innovation to public health & global social impact

Designed by Dr. Pant Pai and her research team at McGill University and MUHC RI, with funding from Grand Challenges Canada, HIVSmart! is an innovative app-based HIV self-testing solution that is designed to enable and plug gaps in service delivery of HIV self-testing. It works with any approved self-test (saliva based or finger-stick blood tests).

With the HIVSmart! App based solution, any intended user of a self-test can potentially self-test at a private space anywhere: at home or office, discreet private spaces in outreach clinic settings or doctor’s offices. The HIVSmart! App initiative can be an invaluable tool to close gaps in HIV self-testing and also reduce the stigma, improve convenience and thereby increase testing rates for HIV.

This solution has been evaluated in studies funded by Grand Challenges Canada, Canadian Institutes for Health Research, and the Ministry of Health South Africa (DST/MRC).

In this talk, Dr. Pant Pai will present the evidence from implementation research conducted in diverse populations worldwide with the HIVSmart! App solution: from students of McGill University and health care professionals of the University of Cape Town, to high risk STD clinic attendee populations of Montreal and South Africa.

With the UNAIDS call for 90-90-90 targets (90% tested, 90% treated, 90% retained on treatment) to end the HIV epidemic, the HIVSmart! self-testing App and HIV self-testing form a proactive solution to achieve the first 90 in smart cities worldwide.