Hailay Gesesew
Flinders University, Australia
Title: HIV care continuum outcomes: does Ethiopia meet the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets?
Biography
Biography: Hailay Gesesew
Abstract
Background: How Ethiopia’s UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets is progressing was not assessed. We assessed HIV care continuum outcomes as surrogate markers for the 90-90-90 targets. Methodology: Data were collected from a 12 years retrospective cohort from anti-retroviral therapy (ART) clinic in Southwest Ethiopia. For measuring the UNAIDS diagnosis target, prevalence rate of delayed HIV diagnosis was considered as a surrogate marker. For the treatment target, number of people on ART, number of people who discontinued from ART or transferred out, and number of people who had fair or poor adherence were used as surrogate markers. For the viral suppression target, number of CD4 counts and/or WHO clinical stages were used to assess immunological, clinical and treatment successes and further show the viral suppression. Summary statistics, trends and estimated survival time were reported. Findings: 8172 patients were enrolled for HIV cares in 2003-2015. For the diagnosis target, 34.5% patients knew their status early (43%-children, 33%-adults). For the treatment target, 65% patients received ART, 1154 (21.9%) patients discontinued from ART, 1015 (19.3%) patients on ART transferred out to other sites, 916 (17%) of patients on ART had fair or good adherence. For the virological suppression target, 80.7, 80.3 and 65.8% of patients had immunological, clinical and treatment success displaying an estimated 66% of patients achieved the target. Conclusions: The finding reflects that an estimated 35% of patients knew their status timely, 65% of diagnosed patients received treatment and 66% of patients on ART achieved viral suppression. This is very far from the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets underscoring the need for concreted efforts such as use of unmanned aerial systems (or drones) for transporting laboratory specimens, immediate or same day ART initiation, community distribution of ART, runaway packs during conflict, and use of GenXpert for HIV viral load testing would help to hit the target.