EMTCT of HIV & Syphilis in Thailand (Mar 2017)
A total of 30 participants from India, Nepal, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Thailand and the United States attended the webinar on March 20, 2017 to discuss Thailand's lessons learned in reaching the elimination of mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) of HIV and syphilis. Thailand is the first country in the Asia and the Pacific region and the first with a large HIV epidemic to receive validation from the WHO for achieving this milestone.
The links to the presentation and summary are below:
Presented on March 20, 2017
CROI Summary 2017 (Mar 2017)
A total of 105 participants from Uganda, Nepal, Iran, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Kenya, and many other countries attended the webinar on March 9th which featured new research on PMTCT and pediatric treatment presented at CROI 2017.
The links to the webinar, presentations, and webinar summary are below:
Presented on March 9, 2017
Toolkit for the Implementation of Baby Showers in Congregational Settings for the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV
This toolkit — prepared by members of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Nigeria and Atlanta, the University of Nigeria, the Healthy Sunrise Foundation, and the National AIDS and STI Control Program of Nigeria — provides implementers with the background, procedures, and resources/tools to support the implementation of Baby Showers in Congregational Settings. In PEPFAR programmes, countries are moving toward elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (EMTCT). One gap in achieving EMTCT is reaching women and their infants who do not come to the facility for care. The Baby Showers approach in Nigeria is one way of reaching women and their families in the community through faith-based congregations, with a strong evidence base to support its positive impact.
Baby Showers are celebratory gatherings for pregnant women and their partners with routine celebrations marked by prayers for the safe delivery of babies and to support parents-to-be as they prepare for their new arrival. Health screening, including HIV testing for pregnant women and their partners, is offered during the celebration that brings women, their partners, and their newborns together in a congregation. Other countries have expressed interest in learning from Nigeria’s experience. This resource has been adapted for implementation in additional settings and contexts and includes six accompanying tools in the appendix to aid in data collection and documentation.
2024 HIV Estimates Learning Lab
2024 HIV Estimates Learning Lab
Thursday, 12 September 2024 8:00–09:00 AM ET
AIDS 2024 Summary: Latest Evidence for HIV and Pregnant Women, Children, and Adolescents
AIDS 2024 Summary: Latest Evidence for HIV and Pregnant Women, Children, and Adolescents
Thursday, 5 September 2024 9:00–10:30 AM ET
Strengthening PMTCT of HIV Services in the Kyrgyz Republic and Defining a Path Towards Elimination of MTCT of HIV and Syphilis
This review of prevention of maternal-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services in the Kyrgyz Republic was undertaken to: (1) provide an overview of milestones in the delivery and expansion of PMTCT for the period 2017-2020; identify the main barriers to PMTCT for women and infants; (3) describe the status of the country’s preparations for validation of elimination of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) for HIV and syphilis; and (4) provide recommendations to accelerate the country’s progress in strengthening PMTCT services and defining a pathway to application for global validation of elimination of MTCT of HIV and syphilis.
Integrating Mental Health and TB Services into Primary Health Care in Kazakhstan: Lessons Learned and Future Prospects for Integration of HIV/AIDS Services into Primary Health Care
The assessment for HIV/AIDS integration in primary health care in Kazakhstan was undertaken in 2022. The overall objective of the assessment was to use findings and lessons learnt from TB and mental health integration to guide and support integration of HIV/AIDS into primary health care. A mixed methods approach combining both qualitative and quantitative assessment methods was used. Assessment report available in English and Russian.
Assessing the impact of COVID-19 on people living with HIV, including pregnant women and children
The purpose of this study is to provide an assessment and analysis of the situation of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) in the Republic of Moldova in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, including COVID-19 awareness and concern, socioeconomic status, quality of life, mental health and social support, access to medical care/treatment (including digital methods), and stigma and develop recommendations for key government stakeholders to address the identified challenges and mitigate the negative impacts of COVID-19.
This study considers available statistics and latest trends, including an analysis of the data before and during the pandemic, as well as quantitative and qualitative data collected in the field. The study also highlights the situation of pregnant women and children of caretakers with HIV or with HIV themselves.
Key findings: The COVID-19 pandemic has had widespread implications on the health and well-being of PLWH in the Republic of Moldova. One-fifth of PLWH in the national survey reported being severely affected by the pandemic and one-third reported being moderately affected. The multifaceted dimensions of PLWH’s vulnerabilities, compounded with restrictions during COVID-19 lockdowns, resulted in job loss, limited access to treatment, and continued stigma.
COVID-19 awareness and concern:
- PLWH received the bulk of COVID-19-related information from online news sources and TV. Less than half of all respondents felt family doctors were a good source of information.
- Over one-third of PLWH said they were “definitely willing” to get the COVID-19 vaccine. A slightly smaller portion, reported no intention of receiving the vaccine at all.Socioeconomic indicators
Socioeconomic indicators:
- 1 in 10 PLWH experienced job loss.
- Decrease in income was reported by half of all PLWH. Pandemic-induced income reduction was more frequent among urban dwellers.
- More than half of PLWH expressed concerns regarding financial sustainability and ability to pay daily expenses (utilities, food, drugs).
- Half of households spent savings, borrowed money, and bought cheaper food to cope with economic hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic. 2 in 5 limited their personal food consumption.
- More than half of PLWH reported anxieties tied to not being able to pay utilities and buy medication.
- Out-of-pocket expenses related to HIV care were reported by 56% of PLWH.
Quality of life:
- Self-reported quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic was very poor to poor among over a quarter of PLWH.
- Self-reported deterioration in health during the COVID-19 pandemic was reported by 17% of PLWH. Deterioration was expressed at a higher rate among the male population.
Access to medical care/treatment:
- Nearly 1 in 10 respondents had a lack of knowledge regarding existing HIV/AIDS programs offered by healthcare facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic and therefore had not accessed them.
- 1 in 10 PLWH reported cancelled medical visits between July 2020 – July 2021.
- A quarter of PLWH indicated that the frequency of their visits to healthcare facilities had decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic period when compared to pre-pandemic periods.
- Fear of contracting COVID-19 was the most cited barrier in accessing healthcare facilities, reported by 41% of PLWH.
Find the recommendations in the report.
Ending HIV for Every Child, Every Adolescent: An investment opportunity for the public and private sectors
This document highlights opportunities for both public and private sectors to engage in the global HIV response for infants, children, and adolescents in partnership with UNICEF. Below is also a spotlight on the Global HIV and AIDS Thematic Fund, with financial results from 2023 programming.
UNICEF is a key partner and leader in the AIDS response for children, adolescents, and women. It collaborates with governments and partners worldwide, offering innovation, technical expertise, data and evidence, programme excellence, coordination, and convening power.
UNICEF is 100 per cent voluntarily funded, and is seeking support to deliver ambitious HIV results for children and to ensure the world can reach Sustainable Development Goal Target 3.3, to end the epidemic of HIV by 2030.