People living with HIV throughout Asia can now turn to a Mumbai-based helpline for answers to questions ranging from status disclosure to safe-sex practices, news portal Sify.com reports (sify.com, 3/3).

Counselors at the philanthropic organization Population Service International (PSI) provide anonymous health information and counseling to callers six days a week. While the bulk of callers are from India, PSI has also counseled positive people from China, Singapore, Pakistan and the United States.

“Since sex is a taboo topic, people prefer talking to a counselor over the phone than face to face,” says one of the counselors quoted in the article. “We sincerely protect the identity of the caller and, through nonjudgmental tele-counseling, increase [his] comfort level to discuss [his] concerns.”