The "Economic Impact of HIV" project is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to synthesise the evidence on the economic impact of HIV into a series of 17 policy briefs that can help decision-makers in the ministries of finance and health in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) decide on the future financing of their country’s HIV program. The project incorporates a series of webinars with an academic and LMIC government staff audience aimed at refining the content and
Background. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among people living with HIV/AIDS can facilitate the spread of HIV. Objectives. To estimate STI incidence and identify predictors of STI acquisition among HIV-positive patients during their first 24 months of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Johannesburg, South Africa. Methods. We conducted a cohort study using prospectively collected routine data on patients who initiated ART between January 2004 and January 2015 at the Themba Lethu HIV
Abstract South Africa has a long history of community health workers (CHWs). It has been a journey that has required balancing constrained resources and competing priorities. CHWs form a bridge between communities and healthcare service provision within health facilities and act as the cornerstone of South Africa’s Ward-Based Primary Healthcare Outreach Teams. This study aimed to document the CHW policy implementation landscape across six provinces in South Africa and explore the reasons
Abstract Introduction: Differentiated service delivery (DSD) models for antiretroviral treatment (ART) for HIV are being scaled up in the expectation that they will better meet the needs of patients, improve the quality and efficiency of treatment delivery and reduce costs while maintaining at least equivalent clinical outcomes. We reviewed the recent literature on DSD models to describe what is known about clinical outcomes. Methods: We conducted a rapid systematic review of peer-reviewed
Viral load (VL) testing is recommended for monitoring people on ART. The National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) in South Africa conducts >5million laboratory-based VL tests but faces challenges with specimen integrity and results delivery. Point-of-care (POC) VL monitoring may improve VL suppression (VLS). We assessed the cost-effectiveness of different strategies for POC testing in South Africa. Methods: We developed a cost-outcome model utilizing NHLS data, including facility-level
South Africa is home to more people living with HIV than any other country, including nearly one in three pregnant women attending antenatal care. Access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) has increased substantially since the start of the national ART program in 2004, with > 95% ART coverage during pregnancy and delivery, and vertical transmission of HIV greatly reduced. However, women who initiate ART during pregnancy are at heightened risk of dropping out of care, particularly after
This study estimates the costs of community-based HIV testing services (HTS) in Lesotho and assesses the potential efficiency gains achieved by adding HIV self-testing (HIVST) and then self-testing
