Prevalence, Predictors, and Outcomes of HIV Care in HIV-Positive Clients Entering HIV Care With Advanced HIV Disease in Sub-Saharan Africa 2010-2022: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background And Aims: Sub-Saharan Africa drives global HIV-related mortality, and patients continuously present with advanced HIV disease (AHD) at diagnosis. We describe prevalence, predictors, and treatment outcomes in HIV clients with AHD.

Methods: We systematically reviewed PUBMED, SCOPUS, Web of Science, JSTOR, and CINAHL for relevant studies conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa from 2010 to 2022.

Causes of death in people living with HIV: Lessons from five health facilities in Eswatini.

Background: Eswatini has a high HIV prevalence in adults and, despite being one of the first countries to achieve the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, AIDS-related deaths are still high.

Objectives: This study describes the causes of death among people living with HIV (PLHIV) receiving care at five clinics in Eswatini.

Method: A cross-sectional review of sociodemographic, clinical and mortality data of deceased clients who received care from 01 January 2021 to 30 June 2022, was conducted.

Cervical cancer screening outcomes for HIV-positive women in the Lubombo and Manzini regions of Eswatini-Prevalence and predictors of a positive visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) screen.

This study aimed to describe the prevalence and predictors of a positive VIA (visual inspection with acetic acid) cervical cancer screening test in women living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We retrospectively analysed data from women aged ≥15 who accessed VIA screening from health facilities in the Lubombo and Manzini regions of Eswatini. Sociodemographic and clinical data from October 2020 to June 2023 were extracted from the client management information system (CMIS).

Implementation of the Automated Medication Dispensing System-Early Lessons From Eswatini.

This article describes the implementation of an automated medication dispensing system (AMDS) in Eswatini to increase medication access and presents the early lessons from this implementation. The AMDS was installed at four health facilities across two regions through collaborative stakeholder engagement. Healthcare workers were trained, and clients who met the inclusion criteria accessed their medications from the system.

Enhanced Integration of TB Services in Reproductive Maternal Newborn and Child Health (RMNCH) Settings in Eswatini.

Tuberculosis (TB) primarily affects women during their reproductive years and contributes to maternal mortality and poor pregnancy outcomes. For pregnant women living with HIV (WLHIV), TB is the leading cause of non-obstetric maternal mortality, and pregnant WLHIV with TB are at increased risk of transmitting both TB and HIV to their infants. TB diagnosis among pregnant women, particularly WLHIV, remains challenging, and TB preventive treatment (TPT) coverage among pregnant WLHIV is limited.

Paediatric tuberculosis preventive treatment preferences among HIV-positive children, caregivers and healthcare providers in Eswatini: a discrete choice experiment.

Objective: Isoniazid preventive therapy initiation and completion rates are suboptimal among children. Shorter tuberculosis (TB) preventive treatment (TPT) regimens have demonstrated safety and efficacy in children and may improve adherence but are not widely used in high TB burden countries. Understanding preferences regarding TPT regimens' characteristics and service delivery models is key to designing services to improve TPT initiation and completion rates.

Patient feedback surveys among pregnant women in Eswatini to improve antenatal care retention.

Background: Uptake and retention in antenatal care (ANC) is critical for preventing adverse pregnancy outcomes for both mothers and infants.

Methods: We implemented a rapid quality improvement project to improve ANC retention at seven health facilities in Eswatini (October-December 2017). All pregnant women attending ANC visits were eligible to participate in anonymous tablet-based audio assisted computer self-interview (ACASI) surveys.

Birth Testing for Infant HIV Diagnosis in Eswatini: Implementation Experience and Uptake Among Women Living With HIV in Manzini Region.

Introduction: HIV testing at birth of HIV-exposed infants (HEIs) may improve the identification of infants infected with HIV in utero and accelerate antiretroviral treatment (ART) initiation.

Methods: ICAP at Columbia University supported implementation of a national pilot of HIV testing at birth (0-7 days) in Eswatini at 2 maternity facilities. Dried blood spot (DBS) samples from neonates of women living with HIV (WLHIV) were collected and processed at the National Molecular Reference Laboratory using polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

An update on repurposed medications for the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Drug-resistant forms of tuberculosis are a major public health problem with a serious global impact. Although there have recently been two new drugs introduced for the treatment of drug-resistant TB (bedaquiline and delamanid), the current therapeutic armamentarium is limited. Because treatment of drug-resistant TB requires the use of a multidrug-regimen, there has been growing interest in the use of antibiotics developed for other infectious pathogens but that have shown efficacy in the treatment of TB.