Njambi Njuguna

This session focused on interventions that improved health outcomes among people living with HIV and other co-morbid non-communicable diseases or co-infections, particularly mental health, cardiometabolic disease, human papillomavirus and cervical cancer.

Angasyege Kibona (Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation) highlighted a smartphone-enhanced application that contributed to quality improvement of the national cervical cancer screening program in Tanzania through continuous virtual consultations of service providers with expert reviewers. This intervention increased providers’ cervical screening accuracy among women living with HIV. Jake M. Pry (Center for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia) described how a task-shifted WHO-aligned one-stop shop (“TASKPEN”) was effective in achieving blood pressure control and improving viral suppression among people living with HIV and cardiometabolic non-communicable diseases in Zambia. Melissa Stockton (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) presented findings from a global study that showed that mental health symptoms were common among adults ≥ 40 years living with HIV and on ART for at least 6 months but they tended to improve with time, particularly among women. Paloma Lucia Ramirez (Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo) highlighted missed opportunities in HPV vaccinations among men who have sex with men in San Francisco where more than half were unvaccinated, including those living with HIV, despite their vulnerability to HPV and subsequent anal cancer. Notably, majority (>90%) had seen a healthcare provider in the previous year.

People living with HIV have other health needs beyond HIV treatment thus wrap around or integrated services are key to providing person-centered care and engaging this population. Service bundling or one-stop shop approach has proven beneficial in retention in care and perhaps improved viral load outcomes but cost considerations continue to be a concern. This is particularly true when scaling up HPV vaccinations or mobile technologies in health facilities where lack of funding pose a significant challenge.