HIV Prevention — TI-IDU

About the Project

The Targeted Intervention (TI) for Injecting Drug Users (IDU) is a critical HIV prevention programme funded by the Rajasthan State AIDS Control Society (RSACS). Active since October 2023, the project covers 500 Injecting Drug Users in Ajmer District with comprehensive health services and harm reduction strategies.

Bal Sansar Sanstha (BSS) operates a fully equipped Drop-in Centre (DIC) in Ajmer that serves as a safe space for IDUs to access health services, counselling, and referral support. The centre is staffed by trained peer educators, outreach workers, and counsellors who build trust-based relationships with the community.

Services Provided

• Community outreach and peer education
• Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) treatment and management
• HIV testing referral and follow-up
• Needle and syringe exchange programme
• Behaviour change communication
• Counselling — individual and group
• Opioid substitution therapy referral
• Drop-in centre with safe space
• Condom distribution and education
• Linkage to ART centres and ICTC

Impact

The programme aims to reduce HIV transmission among IDUs through a combination of harm reduction, health services, and behaviour change communication.

The project has exceeded its sanctioned coverage in each of the two years it has been formally evaluated: 569 high-risk individuals reached in 2024-25 (113.8% of the 500 target) and 556 in 2025-26 (111%). Over 2025-26 the team recorded 2,012 clinic visits, distributed 2,20,046 needles and 1,46,639 syringes, and carried out 1,060 syphilis screenings. NACO commissioned an evaluation of the project and graded it Good; it has been continued for FY 2026-27. NACO and RSACS have designated it a Learning Site — one of six in Rajasthan.

Source: Bal Sansar Sanstha Annual Reports, FY 2024-25 and FY 2025-26, both on our documents page.

Where we met the targets and where we did not

Page 22 of the FY 2025-26 annual report prints each target beside its result, including those below target. The project reached 556 individuals against a target of 500 (111%). 501 individuals were in regular contact, met at least twice a month, against a target of 80%; the report prints 90%. All eight hotspots had an updated micro-plan. Two return rates were below target: 1,43,209 needles were returned, an exchange rate of 65% against a target of 80%, and 1,13,626 syringes, 77% against the same 80%. Syphilis screening is printed as 95% against a target of 100%. The report's plans for Year Four include improving the needle and syringe return rates.

Each row of that table is measured against its own base, so the percentages are not comparable with one another. The rows, with their sources, are published as data on our open data page.