Title: IMPLEMENTATION AND IMPACT OF A POST-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS
TELEPHONE HELPLINE
Name: Dr. Abhinav Gupta*, Dr. Anil Kumar Gupta
Dr. Ram manohar Lohia Hospital*, Delhi State AIDS Control Society, New Delhi, India
Despite a 2007 national and regional training programme, there was poor implementation of a postexposure prophylaxis
(PEP) programme to prevent occupational transmission of HIV in health care workers (HCWs) in Delhi. A new initiative
was therefore launched by the Delhi State AIDS Control Society in 2010 to improve uptake of PEP in HCWs. The present
study was undertaken to assess the implementation and efficacy of the PEP programme in Delhi. The initiative included
a PEP poster and a telephone helpline together with a workshop for senior doctors of 46 public hospitals nominated as
PEP supervisors. Data concerning use of the PEP helpline and number of HCWs enrolling for PEP between January 2011
and May 2014 were analysed. Until September 2010, only 61% (28) of Delhi hospitals had PEP drugs and medical
supervisors to manage the programme and reports concerning the programme were not sent. After roll-out of the PEP
helpline, 4057 HCWs accessed the helpline, all public hospitals started implementing the programme and sent monthly
reports. During the same period, 1450 HCWs suffered from occupational exposures, 15% were started on PEP drugs of
who 98% completed the full course of prophylaxis. The PEP helpline is probably the first in a developing country and
has been helpful for the effective implementation of the national PEP programme in Delhi .
Biography
Abhinav Gupta (Presenting Author) has just passed his MBBS from SSR Medical College, Mauritius. Presently he is
pursuing one year rotatory clinical internship at Dr RML Hospital, New Delhi. He is a yound dyanamic person with
tremendous resarch intetests in Primary Health Care. Eventually he also undertook additional trainings in Neonatal &
Pediatric Medicine at USA including 5 weeks clinical rotation in Pediatric Cardiology under Dr Salvatore Presti,
Associate Professor at NYU Langone Medical centre, New York and one week clinical observership in Neonatal Intensive
Care Unit under Associate Professor S. Kapoor at Mercy Medical Centre, Baltimore USA. He also undertook 2 months
internship at Delhi State AIDS Control Society, Government of NCT of Delhi and was part of research team that
undertook Research Projects on Post Expsoure prophyalxis for prevention of occupational transmission of HIV.
Dr Anil Kumar Gupta ( co-author) is a renowned Paediatrician & Neonatologist/ Health administrator from New Delhi
with 29 years Clinical, Teaching & Research experience. He has seven years (2007-2014) experience of managing
National AIDS Control Programme in Delhi as Additional Project Director cum Technical Lead, Delhi State AIDS
Control. He believes that quickening pace for essential HIV-prevention services & new evidence based interventions like
PrEP /TasP /Option B + PMTCT regimen may help end HIV epidemic. He has undertaken clinical and operational
Research in Hospital Acquired Infections in neonates, Prevention of Mother to Child HIV Transmission, Care of HIV
exposed infant, Infant feeding, Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) & Early initiation of Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) in HIV
positive infants, Opportunistic infections, efficient ART delivery models, & Social Protection of Children Affected by
AIDS (ChABA). He has published about 35 research papers in Peer Reviewed International Journals in
Pediatrics/Neonatology/ HIV/AIDS [PMTCT/EID /ART /HIV-TB /PEP]. Reviewer of AIDS Care(Routledge, UK),Jr. of
Tropical Pediatrics(Oxford U.P, UK) & SAHARA-J (South Africa). Member Editorial Board AIDS(Edelweiss, Inc.
USA). He has been a strong advocate/facilitator for rollout of Option B+ PMTCT approach in India as member National
Technical Expert Group, NACO, Government of India. National Trainer Option B+ PMTCT regimen, Management of
HIV-Exposed Infant, Clinical Management of Children with SAM, & ART. Mentored MPH students of Boston
University(IH 744 Project). He is an Adolescent Reproductive & Sexual Health Specialist trained at Lund University/
Sweden. He was instrumental for Implementation of State Government funded Conditional Cash Transfer Scheme for
Children Affected By AIDS on Principle of Household Economic Strengthening of People Living with HIV. He was also
instrumental in roll out of first Post Exposure Prophylaxis telephone helpline of India to prevent occupational transmission
of Blood Borne Viruses in Health Care Workers, which is first in any developing country and third globally. He is recipient
of State Award from Chief Minister of Delhi Government (2009-10)
Presenting author details
Full name: Dr. Abhinav Gupta
Contact number:+919891070040
Twitter account:Nil
Linked In account: https://mu.linkedin.com/pub/abhinav-gupta/12/876/930
Session name/ number:
Category: (Oral presentation/ Poster presentation)