HIV/AIDS

Task shifting has been suggested to meet the demand for initiating and managing
more patients on antiretroviral therapy. This paper will appraise current trends in task shifting related to HIV treatment programmes in order to evaluate evidence related to the effectiveness of this strategy in addressing human resource constraints and improving patient outcomes, challenges identified in practice and the acceptability
of this strategy to the health professions. [adapted from abstract]

This study aims to explore the knowledge about HIV/AIDS among health workers in three provinces in Northern
Vietnam. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 610 health workers. [from abstract]

A peer education intervention was implemented to promote use of HCT among secondary school
students and apprentices in Ibadan, Nigeria. Baseline data were collected from 1281 students from six schools and 100 apprentice workshops in four Local Government Areas of Ibadan. [from abstract]

In Benin, CRS has been piloting a health microinsurance (HMI) product since March 2012. We have been delivering it to members of Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC) through NSIA (a local insurance company) and Caritas Natitingou in northern Benin. From March 2012 to December 2014, coverage has nearly doubled from 715 to more than 1,300 SILC members and their dependents. The project team recently conducted an evaluation of progress. The evaluation included 12 SILC focus groups to learn more from their experiences in using the health microinsurance product. [from introduction]

To assess knowledge, attitude and practice toward HIV voluntary counseling and testing among students of Jimma Teachers Training College, in Jimma town, Oromia regional, state south western Ethiopia. A cross sectional study was conducted at Jimma teacher training college from February 10-12, 2014. The students were selected
by simple random sampling after; proportion allocation to the streams and departments was done by taking the stream
and departments as strata.

This report sheds light on key social service workforce data and trends in 2014, showcases innovative and effective workforce strengthening initiatives, and highlights the impact of a lack of data in this fairly new area
of focus. This first annual report is envisioned as a first step among many other global, regional, and national
efforts to better describe, depict, and analyze efforts to strengthen the social service workforce. [from executive summary]

Male and female condoms are the only contraceptive methods that provide dual protection against both unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV. Through state-of-the-art scientific evidence, programmatic guidance, and implementation tools, the Condom Use Toolkit assists health policy makers, program managers, service providers, and others in planning, managing, evaluating, and supporting the provision of condoms. Many items in the Condom Use Toolkit can be adapted for use in specific country contexts and unique program circumstances. [from introduction]

Female sex workers (FSWs) in Ghana have a 10-fold greater risk for acquiring HIV than the general adult population, and they contribute a substantial proportion of the new HIV infections in the country. Although researchers have conducted behavioral and biological surveys, there has been no review of the contextual, programmatic, and epidemiological changes over time. The authors conducted a historical review of HIV prevention programs in Ghana. [from abstract]

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), men who have sex with men (MSM) and female sex workers (FSW) have the highest HIV prevalence but have the least access to services due to their marginalization within Congolese society.

Regular voluntary counseling and testing is a key component of the fight against HIV/AIDS. In Benin, the project SIDA-1/2/3 established to decrease HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STIs) among female sex workers (FSWs), implemented a multifaceted intervention, including outreach activities. The objective of this article was to present potential advantages and limitations of 3 categories of outreach interventions designed to increase the use of testing services among FSWs in Benin. [from abstract]

This study aims to evaluate and develop recommendations on how the HIV/AIDS program in Peru can achieve better Value for Money. [from abstract]

The study was designed to determine the attitude and practices of health care workers towards HIV positive patients at the Federal Medical Centre Owo , Ondo State, Nigeria. [from abstract]

PEPFAR is pivoting the scale-up of resources and services towards health service delivery sites with moderate and high yield of patients, communities that link patients to those sites, and geographic areas with high burden of HIV. Meeting demand in those settings requires an adequate supply and appropriate skills mix of HRH available to provide quality HIV services along the continuum of care. [from introduction]

Since responsibility for health services management lies at the district (sub-national) level, this study aimed to assess the extent to which the HIV M&E system is integrated with the overall health system M&E function at district level. This study describes implementation of the HIV M&E system, determines the extent to which it is integrated with the district health information system (DHIS), and evaluates factors influencing HIV M&E integration. [from abstract]

The 2014 edition of Adding It Up expands the scope of the report and provides new estimates of the needs for and costs and benefits of sexual and reproductive health interventions in the following key areas: contraceptive services; maternal, newborn and other pregnancy-related care; selected services related to HIV prevention; and treating women for four other common STIs. [from introduction]

With the first case of Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) identified in 1986, the management of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria has evolved through the years. The emergency phase of the HIV/AIDS program, aimed at containing the HIV/AIDS epidemic within a short time frame, was carried out by international agencies that built structures separate from hospitals’ programs. It is imperative that Nigeria shifts from the previous paradigm to the concept of Commonization of HIV to achieve sustainability.

The aim of the present study was to examine the procedures followed by traditional healers treating people living with HIV and AIDS in the Intsika Municipality and the challenges faced by them during this endeavour. [from abstract]

Inadequate pharmacy human resources have been a significant challenge faced in delivering public health interventions. In GHAIN project, the average pharmacist-patient ratio per clinic day was about 1:100. This had a negative effect on quality of care provided to patients. The project evolved a volunteer scheme aimed at mitigating the inadequacy of pharmacists amidst increasing workload. This article describes how the scheme was used to improve the human resource challenge in supported health facilities and the lessons learnt. [from abstract]

Le CDE [Centre de Documentation Electronique] se veut un centre de partage et d’échange de connaissances et d’expériences en matière de lutte contre le VIH/sida. Vous trouverez dans cet espace toute information, documents, publications, ainsi que des outils de communication utiles développés par le CCP [ Centre des Programmes de Communication de l’Université de Johns Hopkins] et ses partenaires dans le cadre de la lutte contre le VIH/sida impliquant les jeunes en Côte d’Ivoire. [from introduction]

The resources in this toolkit cover a broad range of topics pertinent to the treatment, care and support of ALHIV including: Training, Treatment Literacy & Adherence, Counseling & Disclosure, Life Skills, Prevention and Reproductive Health, Psychosocial Support, etc.

The use of social media is a very important avenue for reaching MSM who are not reached by peer educators in Ghana. The method should be adopted as an integral outreach approach for HIV-prevention interventions in the future.[from abstract]

The Pan-American Social Marketing Organization (PASMO) developed a combination prevention intervention in Central America that delivers HIV prevention behavior change communication (BCC) messages, products, services, and referrals to promote improved condom and condom-compatible lubricant use, HIV testing, violence reporting and the use of complementary services. [from abstract]

This technical report is intended to help the field move toward a common understanding of functions associated with different cadres within the social service workforce, titles associated with workers who perform these functions, and education or training that is typically associated with these cadres. [from resource]

Both sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and HIV programs in sub-Saharan Africa are typically delivered vertically, operating parallel to national health systems. The objective of this study was to map the evidence on national and international strategies for integration of SRH and HIV services in sub-Saharan Africa and to develop a research agenda for future health systems integration. [from abstract]

At the end of the one year of intervention, the results showed a significant reduction in sexually transmitted infections in the group that was eligible for the $20 payments every four months,but no such reduction was found for the group receiving the $10 payments. The effects were stronger among the lower socioeconomic and higher risks groups. The results of a post-intervention follow-up survey conducted one year after discontinuing the intervention indicate a sustained effect among males, but not among females. [from abstract]

AIDS Today: Tell no lies and claim no easy victories is the first edition of our new biennial publication that presents the global state of the civil society response to AIDS. The report aims to spark a timely debate about the global AIDS response: what it has achieved, what it can teach others fighting for health and justice, and what remains to be done to bring about a sustainable end to AIDS. [from resource]

he Male Circumcision Consortium (MCC) conducted research from 2008 to 2013 to inform the scale-up of voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) services in Kenya. This series of briefs presents the results of nine studies and their implications for Kenya’s VMMC program. The evidence generated by these studies may also be useful to other countries that are scaling up VMMC services. [adapted from resource]

This report summarizes five years of PTA-supported accomplishments in HIV prevention research, the integration of HIV prevention and reproductive health technologies, and technical leadership and support for HIV prevention research, field activities, and product quality and compliance. [from introduction]

The objective of the prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (pMTCT) cascade analysis tool is to
provide frontline health managers at the facility level with the means to rapidly, independently and quantitatively
track patient flows through the pMTCT cascade, and readily identify priority areas for clinic-level improvement
interventions. [from abstract]

Health care workers are exposed to different kinds of occupational hazards due to their day to day activities. The most common occupational exposure like body fluids are a potential risk of transmission of blood born infection like human immunodeficiency virus. [from abstract]