Namibia Improves HIV Care through Training and High-Quality Services

October 16, 2020Between 2015 and 2019, IntraHealth International’sUSAID HIV Clinical Services Technical Assistance Project (UTAP) helped 42,578 HIV-positive clients in Namibia begin antiretroviral therapy (ART), conducted a nurse training program, increased the number of community adherence groups from 40 to 484, and helped roll out an electronic patient management system for the country.In 2018, an estimated200,000 people were living with HIV in Namibia, with regions in the north and capital city having thehighest burden. Now Namibia is one of three sub-Saharan African countries that have achieved the UNAIDS 90-90-90 fast-track targets; still HIV/AIDS remains the country’snumber one cause of death and disability.With support from the US Agency for International Development, UTAP worked in eight districts and 77 sites, testing461,020 individuals for HIV and connecting HIV-positive clients with ART within seven days of diagnosis.By September 2019,42,578 individuals were receiving ART and the rate of same-day ART initiation for new HIV-positive patients in eight high-volume facilities had increased from 15% in 2016 to 82% in 2019. A breakthrough in client-centered HIV careUTAP focused on client-centered HIV care to better address clients’ preferences and reduce costs associated with frequent visits to health facilities at a time when such client-centered service delivery approaches were rare.  Community adherence groups brought together peopl...

Source: IntraHealth International - October 16, 2020 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: kseaton Tags: Namibia USAID HIV Clinical Services Technical Assistance Project & AIDS Source Type: news