HIV viral load testing coverage and timeliness after implementation of the wellness anniversary in a paediatric and adolescent HIV clinic in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine
Sibusiso E KubhekaKevindra K Naidu

Abstract

The UNAIDS 2020 Global strategy to reduce the transmission of HIV includes ensuring HIV viral load (VL) testing coverage of at least 90% on all patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Routine VL monitoring has been shown to result in earlier detection of treatment failure, timely regimen switches, promotion of adherence to treatment and improved survival. We wanted to assess the introduction of the wellness anniversary in improving routine viral load monitoring. We retrospectively assessed effects of the wellness anniversary on routine VL coverage, timeliness and suppression rates. The month when the patient initiated ART was designated as the wellness anniversary. On the anniversary month a package of care, which included a routine VL, was delivered. We conducted a retrospective chart audit to assess VL coverage and timeliness between two time periods, from January 2016 to December 2016 (pre-implementation) and from January 2017 to December 2017 (post-implementation). Timeliness of VL testing improved from 27.5% in the pre-implementation cohort to 49.7% in the post-implementation cohort. Our study showed high VL testing coverage before the implementation of the wellness anniversary with an average of 98.3% VL. There was a si...Continue Reading

References

Jul 8, 2011·The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal·Tammy M MeyersHarry Moultrie
Jun 21, 2013·Journal of the International AIDS Society·Allison L Agwu, Lee Fairlie
Feb 22, 2014·AIDS·Margaret T MayUNKNOWN UK Collaborative HIV Cohort (UK CHIC) Study
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Jan 9, 2016·Clinical Infectious Diseases : an Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America·Teri RobertsSally Hargreaves
Sep 24, 2016·Clinical Infectious Diseases : an Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America·Ragna S BoermaKim C E Sigaloff
Feb 19, 2019·Public Health Action·H SunpathK Naidoo

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Citations

Jun 15, 2020·Journal of the International AIDS Society·Jonathan RossUNKNOWN Central Africa IeDEA

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