India has 2.47 million HIV infections making it the country with the third largest caseload in the world. The Indian states of Maharashtra and Goa are geographic “hot spot” for the country’s HIV epidemic. The epidemic is percolating from high-risk groups to the general population and into rural areas.

USAID, the Government of India and Maharashtra state have joined together to stem the spread of HIV and prevent the disease from further affecting the state’s 98 million citizens, as well as providing technical support to GoaSACS. Launched in 2001, the Avert Project supports the Maharashtra Government to scale up prevention, care and support efforts in the high burden districts of the state. Specifically, it targets prevention efforts among high-risk groups such as prostitutes, men who have sex with men, truckers, migrants, workers and vulnerable youth. The Avert Project builds the capacity of the state to:

• Promote safe-sex behaviors such as condom use and faithfulness,
• Mobilize community to utilize counseling and testing and care and treatment services;
• Train non-governmental organizations, community based organizations and health care providers to provide quality prevention and care services;
• Employ multi-media campaigns to educate its target audience about the disease and its transmission and dispel myths and stigmas regarding HIV/AID;
• Conduct activities to support evidence base for HIV programs; and
• Build capacity of MSACS and GoaSACS to implement quality prevention care and treatment programs in the states of Maharashtra and Goa.