HIV/AIDS Counselling, Just a Phone Call Away

Around the world, telephone helplines have proved to be an accessible, affordable and acceptable source of HIV/AIDS information, counselling and referrals for callers from all walks of life. First initiated in high-income countries, helplines have expanded into many low- and middle-income countries, particularly as the latter improve their telecommunications infrastructure and identify HIV/AIDS as a pressing social concern. This Best Practice Case Study offers an opportunity to learn from the experiences of well-established helplines in India, the Philippines, South Africa, and Trinidad and Tobago. These initiatives demonstrate the principles that have made helplines globally successful, outlining the challenges facing helplines and creative approaches to meeting those challenges.