AI Article Synopsis
- The study focused on improving access to HIV care through a pilot project in conflict-affected South Sudan, which involved mobile teams providing HIV counseling and same-day antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation.
- By June 2018, the program successfully tested over 14,800 individuals, with 3.4% testing positive and a high initiation rate of ART among those diagnosed.
- Findings suggested that community ART groups significantly improved patient retention in care and virological suppression rates, along with strong community support for the program.
Article Abstract
Background: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage in South Sudan is around 10%. Access to HIV care in settings with low ART coverage or conflict affected is still low; innovative strategies are needed to increase access and ensure continuation of ART during instability. A pilot HIV test and start project was implemented in a conflict-affected area of South Sudan. In a retrospective analysis, we determined the feasibility and outcomes of this intervention.
Methods: Programme data from July 2015 to June 2018 was analysed. The project involved five mobile teams offering HIV counselling and testing (HCT) and same day ART initiation at community level. Baseline and follow-up information on clinical, immunological and viral load (VL) was routinely recorded, as well as treatment outcomes. A semi-qualitative study was conducted to assess acceptability of the program among beneficiaries and community members.
Results: By June 2018, 14824 people received counselling and testing for HIV and 498 (3.4%) tested positive. Out of those 395 (79.3%) started ART. A total of 72 ART patients were organized in 26 Community ART Groups (CAGs) and contingency plan was activated 9 times for 101 patients. Kaplan-Meier estimated retention in care (RIC) at 12 and 18 months was 80.6% [95% CI: 75.9-84.5%] and 69.9% [95% CI: 64.4-74.8%] respectively. RIC was significantly higher at 18 months in patients under community ART groups (CAGs) (90.9% versus 63.4% p<0.001) when compared to patients on regular follow up. VL suppression at 12 months was 90.3% and overall virological suppression reached 91.2%. A total of 279 persons were interviewed about the MSF program perception and acceptance: 98% had heard about the programme and 84% found it beneficial for the community, 98% accepted to be tested and only 4% found disadvantages to the programme.
Conclusions: Our study shows that HCT and early ART initiation in conflict affected populations can be provided with good program outcomes. RIC and virological suppression are comparable with facility-based HIV programs and to those in stable contexts. This model could be extrapolated to other similar contexts with low access to ART and where security situation is a concern.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8274874 | PMC |
| http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0254331 | PLOS |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Risk of stroke associated with proton pump inhibitor use among individuals with and without pre-existing cardiovascular diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
J Cardiothorac Surg
January 2025
Department of Paediatrics, Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Maharashtra, Pune, 411018, India.
Background: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are commonly used for managing gastroesophageal disorders but concerns about their potential association with increased stroke risk have emerged, especially among patients with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions such as acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to assess the risk of stroke associated with PPI use, stratified by the presence or absence of pre-existing CVD.
Methods: This review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines and included studies up to March 2024 from PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science.
Hearing care in low-resourced and humanitarian settings: findings from a pilot study in South Sudan.
Int J Audiol
January 2025
Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Objectives: This longitudinal experimental study aimed to profile audiometric hearing loss, explore the feasibility and efficacy of low-cost hearing devices, and examine their social and emotional impact on participants in South Sudan, a low-resource humanitarian setting.
Design: We performed pure tone hearing screenings on adults with self-reported hearing disability, randomly providing eligible participants with one of two inexpensive devices-Asana Pro 800, a non-customizable hearing device fit unilaterally, or the Super Ear SE9000, a hand-held amplifier with headphones given one per individual.
Study Sample: Between October 2022 and January 2023, 142 adults underwent hearing screening at the Juba Teaching Hospital ENT clinic, of whom 19 eligible individuals were provided with hearing devices.
Neonatal pseudo-hypoaldosteronism type 1 with a novel gene variant.
Sudan J Paediatr
January 2024
Department of Paediatrics, South West Acute Hospital, Enniskillen, UK.
Pseudohypoaldosteronism (PHA) is a rare disorder that mimics congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). Renal type A1A of the disorder has a known gene mutation (NR3C2) and parents may be asymptomatic despite biochemical abnormalities. Meticulous interpretation of hormonal and biochemical data, and early liaison with endocrinology and renal teams are key in diagnosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPresentation and outcome of Alagille syndrome in paediatric patients at State Academic Hospital in South Africa.
Sudan J Paediatr
January 2024
Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Alagille syndrome (ALGS) is a multisystem autosomal dominant disorder in which patients may have characteristic facial features and involvement of the liver, heart, vessels, bones, eyes, kidneys and central nervous system. As there is little published data on ALGS in Africa, our aim was to describe the presentation and outcomes of ALGS in South Africa. The study constitutes a retrospective analysis of 25 patient medical records diagnosed as ALGS at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital Pediatric Gastroenterology clinic between January 1992 and January 2020.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHyaluronic acid-silybin conjugate for the preparation of multifunctional, biomimetic, vancomycin-loaded self-assembled polymersomes against bacterial sepsis.
Int J Biol Macromol
January 2025
Discipline of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, South Africa. Electronic address:
Sepsis, a life-threatening disruption, remains a significant global healthcare challenge that urgently needs novel strategies to improve management. This study aimed to develop multifunctional vancomycin-loaded polymersomes (VCM-HA-SIL-Ps) using a novel hyaluronic acid-silybin (HA-SIL) conjugate to target the TLR inflammatory pathway and enhance VCM's efficacy against bacterial sepsis. HA-SIL was synthesized and characterized by FT-IR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and H NMR.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!