What is HIV Sentinel surveillance?
In HIV sentinel surveillance blood samples of pre-designed sample size are collected over time from among the identified risk groups known as sentinel groups. This sample size represents the larger group with similar risk and other characteristics. In India, sentinel surveillance has routinely been done across the country from August to October every year. A prescribed methodology is followed where a fixed number of people from high and low risk groups are tested. The former are STD (sexually transmitted diseases) clinic attendees, sex workers, men who have sex with men (MSM) and injecting drug users (IDUs). Women attending antenatal clinics are considered a low risk group. HIV sentinel surveillance data is used to understand and monitor trends in the epidemic, get information on HIV prevalence levels in various risk groups in states and districts, and estimate total HIV burden in various sub-populations. Since the blood is primarily collected for some other purpose and the results are
