Pediatric and adolescent HIV viral load coverage and suppression rates in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in 12 PEPFAR-supported sub-Saharan African countries in 2019 and 2020.

The early period of the COVID-19 pandemic limited access to HIV services for children and adolescents living with HIV (C/ALHIV). To determine progress in providing care and treatment services, we describe viral load coverage (VLC) and suppression (VLS) (<1000 copies/ mL) rates during the COVID-19 pandemic in 12 United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)-supported countries. Data for children (0-9 years) and adolescents (10-19 years) on VLC and VLS were analyzed for 12 sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries between 2019 (pre-COVID-19) and 2020 (during COVID-19).

Rates of confirmatory HIV testing, linkage to HIV services, and rapid initiation of antiretroviral treatment among newly diagnosed children living with HIV in Ethiopia: perspectives from caregivers and healthcare workers.

Background: Successful linkage to HIV services and initiation of antiretroviral treatment (ART) for children living with HIV (CLHIV) is critical to improve pediatric ART coverage. We aimed to assess confirmatory testing, linkage, and rapid ART initiation among newly diagnosed CLHIV in Ethiopia from the perspectives of caregivers and healthcare workers (HCWs).

Methods: We conducted standardized surveys with HCWs and caregivers of children 2-14 years who were diagnosed with HIV but not yet on ART who had been identified during a cross-sectional study in Ethiopia from May 2017-March 2018.

Pediatric HIV Case Identification Across 22 PEPFAR-Supported Countries During the COVID-19 Pandemic, October 2019-September 2020.

During 2020, an estimated 150,000 persons aged 0-14 years acquired HIV globally (1). Case identification is the first step to ensure children living with HIV are linked to life-saving treatment, achieve viral suppression, and live long, healthy lives. Successful interventions to optimize pediatric HIV testing during the COVID-19 pandemic are needed to sustain progress toward achieving Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 95-95-95 targets.

Adapting strategies for effective and efficient pediatric HIV case finding in low prevalence countries: risk screening tool for testing children presenting at high-risk entry points in Ethiopia.

Background: Implementing effective and efficient case-finding strategies is crucial to increasing pediatric antiretroviral therapy coverage. In Ethiopia, universal HIV testing is conducted for children presenting at high-risk entry points including malnutrition treatment, inpatient wards, tuberculosis (TB) clinics, index testing for children of positive adults, and referral of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC); however, low positivity rates observed at inpatient, malnutrition and OVC entry points warrant re-assessing current case-finding strategies. The aim of this study is to develop HIV risk screening tool applicable for testing children presenting at inpatient, malnutrition and OVC entry points in low-HIV prevalence settings.

Finding Children Living With HIV in Low-prevalence Countries: HIV Prevalence and Testing Yield From 5 Entry Points in Ethiopia.

Background: Limited data in low HIV prevalence settings such as Ethiopia limit policy development and implementation of optimized pediatric testing approaches to close the treatment gap. This study aimed to determine HIV prevalence, testing yield and factors associated with HIV among children at 5 entry points.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study from May 2017 to March 2018 in 29 public health facilities in Amhara and Addis Ababa regions in Ethiopia.