"Swallowing these drugs every day, you get tired": a mixed-methods study to identify Barriers and facilitators to retention and HIV Viral Load suppression among the Adolescents living with HIV in TASO Mbale and TASO Soroti centers of excellence.

Background: Adolescents aged 10-19, living with HIV (ALHIV) lag behind in attaining optimal viral load suppression (VLS) rates and retention in care, an important impediment to reaching epidemic control. This study aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to both VLS and retention among in the sub-population who seek care from TASO Mbale and TASO Soroti centers of excellence, to facilitate adaptation of the operation triple zero in the setting.

Methods: We used a mixed methods approach, extracting secondary data on ALHIV who were active in care during April-June 2022 quarter to determine one year retention in care.

Improving retention and HIV viral load suppression among adolescents living with HIV in TASO Soroti and TASO Mbale centers of excellence using Operation Triple Zero model: a before and after study protocol.

Background: Retention in care and HIV viral load suppression remains sub-optimal among HIV positive adolescents in many settings including TASO Uganda, despite the implementation of interventions such as regimen optimization and community-based approaches like multi-month drug dispensing. To this end, the implementation of additional intervention is urgently required to address gaps in current programming which include inadequate centralization of the HIV positive adolescents and their caregivers in the designs. This study, thus, proposes to adapt and implement the Operation Triple Zero (OTZ) model in TASO Soroti and Mbale centers to improve both retention and viral load suppression among the adolescents living with HIV.

Incidence of tuberculosis among PLHIV on antiretroviral therapy who initiated isoniazid preventive therapy: A multi-center retrospective cohort study.

Introduction: Isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) is effective in treating tuberculosis (TB) infection and hence limiting progression to active disease. However, the durability of protection, associated factors and cost-effectiveness of IPT remain uncertain in low-and-middle income countries, Uganda inclusive. The Uganda Ministry of health recommends a single standard-dose IPT course for eligible people living with HIV (PLHIV).