HIV Care in the Times of COVID-19 Pandemic in Urban South Gujarat: An Operational Overview

Abstract

In India, the nationwide lockdown was implemented from March to May 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic. As of March 2020, there were 13.08 lakh PLHIV availing ART free of cost from Government run ART centres, To maintain the continuum of care, National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) of India adopted Multi Months Dispensation (MMD) through ART centres and Community Dispensation of ART through the various Targeted Interventions (TI) and Community Based Organizations (CBO). A mixed methods study was designed, with desk review of programmatic data, semi qualitative interviews of 250 PLHIV and 15 In-Depth Interviews of ART centre and TI/CBO staff to document the process, strengths and challenges of these strategies in Surat city of South Gujarat. While administrative, technical and networking strengths were documented, manpower constraints, interrupted laboratory services, migration and relatively passive role of PLHIV in availing services were major challenges described in this study among several others.

HIV Testing Disruptions and Service Adaptations During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Literature Review

“…Service providers utilised different delivery approaches to overcome barriers to clients accessing ART during the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring people on ART stayed supplied with their medications. For example, HIV service providers delivered ART to community dispensaries, community health centres, community pharmacies, and other community-based organisations [ 54 , 57 , 61 , 65 , 66 ]. Several services utilised their existing network of community-based health workers to deliver ART [ 52 , 55 ].…”

“…Thirteen studies reported on how HIV/AIDS organisations maintained access to ART during the pandemic by expanding their ART dispensing points. This included developing community ART dispensing strategies, setting up primary care outreach points where clients could collect their medications, decentralising ART distribution to dispensaries, dispensing through community-based organisations [ 52 , 58 , 61 , 64 , 65 , 67 ], and expanding or initiating multi-month dispensing [ 51 , 53 , 54 , 60 , 62 , 66 , 69 ]. For example, HIV service providers in Uganda utilised community drug distribution points to take ART closer to clients and facilitate access [ 69 ].…”

“…For example, HIV service providers in Uganda utilised community drug distribution points to take ART closer to clients and facilitate access [ 69 ]. Some HIV service providers initiated multi-month dispensing services for the first time [ 54 , 66 ], while others extended their multi-month dispensing services [ 51 , 53 , 54 , 58 , 60 , 62 , 69 ], for example, from three to 6 months.…”

Impact de la COVID-19 sur les services de prévention du VIH et de prise en charge des personnes vivant avec le VIH dans la ville de Bukavu : une étude mixte séquentielle explicative

“…En Inde, une étude mixte a réalisé l'analyse documentaire quantitative des données programmatiques et des entretiens qualitatifs approfondis avec 250 PVVIH et 15 soignants des PVVIH. L'interruption des services de laboratoire pour le dépistage du VIH et le faible recours des PVVIH aux services de prise en charge ont été observés (Samudyatha et al, 2022). Au Guatemala, Medina et al (2021) ont observé une baisse de 54,7% pour le dépistage du VIH et une augmentation de 10,7% des décès dus aux infections opportunistes pendant la COVID-19.…”