Publications by authors named "Mildrate Murandu"
Follow-Up Outcomes of Children, Adolescents, and Young People on Darunavir-Based Third-Line Antiretroviral Therapy: Observational Cohort From 9 African Countries.
Vincent J Tukei Rhoderick Machekano Boris K Tchounga Philisiwe Ntombenhle Khumalo Rachel Tumwebaze Mildrate Murandu
J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr
November 2024
Background: We assessed clinical outcomes among children, adolescents, and people younger than 25 years on darunavir-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) in 9 sub-Saharan African countries.
Setting: Third-line ART centers in Cameroon, Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Methods: From January 2019 to December 2022, we collected data from a cohort of children, adolescents, and young people receiving third-line ART from 9 sub-Saharan African countries.
Article Synopsis
- In the period from June 2020 to July 2021, 3172 out of 6989 newborns exposed to HIV were tested, resulting in a diagnosis of 59 infants (2%) with HIV, of which only 27 (46%) started RAL treatment.
- The COVID-19 pandemic worsened issues with supply chains and the availability of trained providers, leading to decreased rates of birth testing, RAL treatment initiation, and follow-up viral load testing at 6 months.
Article Synopsis
- In 2020, Zimbabwe implemented the WHO's recommendation to use raltegravir granules for treating HIV in newborns, prompting a study on the acceptability among caregivers and healthcare workers.
- Interviews with 15 caregivers and 12 healthcare workers revealed that caregivers noted improvements in their babies' health and some preferred to continue RAL beyond the recommended 28 days.
- Healthcare workers identified challenges in caregiver understanding of dosing and administration, highlighting the need for better training and clearer instructions to ensure proper RAL usage.