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Introduction: Sexual behaviour change contributed to reductions in HIV incidence in eastern and southern Africa between 1990 and 2010. More recently, there are indications that non-regular partnerships have increased. However, the effect of these increases on population-level risks for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections could have been reduced by simultaneous increases in condom use. We describe recent trends in sexual behaviour and condom use within the region and assess their combined effects on population levels of sexual risk. Methods: Nationally representative Demographic and Health Survey data on sexually active males and females (15 to 49 years) were used for 11 eastern and southern African countries ([greater than or equal to]3 surveys for each country; 1999 to 2016) to describe trends in sexual behaviour (multiple, non-regular, and casual sexual partnerships; condom use; age at first sex). Logistic regressions tested for statistical significance of changes. Analyses were stratified by sex. Results: Recent increases in multiple, non-regular, and/or casual partnerships can be found for males in 10 countries and, for females, in nine countries; five countries exhibited recent decreases in age of sexual debut. Reduction in sex without condoms with non-regular partners was observed in six countries for males and eight for females. Changes in the proportion of the overall population reporting condomless sex with non-regular partners varied between countries, with declines in six countries and increases in three. Conclusions: Extensive change in sexual behaviour occurred across eastern and southern Africa during the period of scale-up of antiretroviral therapy programmes. This includes increasing multiple and non-regular partnerships, but their potential effects on population-level sexual risks were often offset by parallel increases in condom use. Strengthening condom programmes and reintegrating communication about behavioural dimensions into combination prevention programmes could help countries to meet international targets for reductions in HIV incidence. Keywords: sexual behaviour; condoms; temporal trends; eastern and southern Africa; sexually transmitted infections; HIV prevention, 1 INTRODUCTION In 2017, more than half of the world's people living with HIV (PLHIV) lived in eastern and southern Africa (19.6 million), 800,000 people became newly HIV-infected (44% of [...]

Introduction: With limited funds available, meeting global health targets requires countries to both mobilize and prioritize their health spending. Within this context, countries have recognized the importance of allocating funds for HIV as efficiently as possible to maximize impact. Over the past six years, the governments of 23 countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America have used the Optima HIV tool to estimate the optimal allocation of HIV resources. Methods: Each study commenced with a request by the national government for technical assistance in conducting an HIV allocative efficiency study using Optima HIV. Each study team validated the required data, calibrated the Optima HIV epidemic model to produce HIV epidemic projections, agreed on cost functions for interventions, and used the model to calculate the optimal allocation of available funds to best address national strategic plan targets. From a review and analysis of these 23 country studies, we extract common themes around the optimal allocation of HIV funding in different epidemiological contexts. Results and discussion: The optimal distribution of HIV resources depends on the amount of funding available and the characteristics of each country's epidemic, response and targets. Universally, the modelling results indicated that scaling up treatment coverage is an efficient use of resources. There is scope for efficiency gains by targeting the HIV response towards the populations and geographical regions where HIV incidence is highest. Across a range of countries, the model results indicate that a more efficient allocation of HIV resources could reduce cumulative new HIV infections by an average of 18% over the years to 2020 and 25% over the years to 2030, along with an approximately 25% reduction in deaths for both timelines. However, in most countries this would still not be sufficient to meet the targets of the national strategic plan, with modelling results indicating that budget increases of up to 185% would be required. Conclusions: Greater epidemiological impact would be possible through better targeting of existing resources, but additional resources would still be required to meet targets. Allocative efficiency models have proven valuable in improving the HIV planning and budgeting process. Keywords: HIV modeling; allocative efficiency; cost-effectiveness; optimal HIV investment; resource allocation; resource needs, 1 | INTRODUCTION If decisions on the allocation of health resources were guided by the principals of health economics alone, funds would be allocated in ways intended to lead to [...]

Introduction: HIV prevalence is declining in key populations in Armenia including in people who inject drugs (PWID), men who have sex with men, prison inmates, and female sex workers (FSWs); however, prevalence is increasing among Armenians who seasonally migrate to work in countries with higher HIV prevalence, primarily to the Russian Federation. Methods: We conducted a modelling study using the Optima model to assess the optimal resource allocation to meet targets from the 2013 to 2016 national strategic plan to minimize HIV incidence and AIDS-related deaths by 2020. Demographic, epidemiological, behavioural, and programme cost data from 2000 through 2014 were used to inform the model. The levels of coverage that could be attained among targeted populations with different investments, as well as their expected outcomes, were determined. In the absence of evidence of the efficacy of HIV programmes targeted at seasonal labour migrants, we conducted a sensitivity analysis to determine the cost-effective funding threshold for the seasonal labour migrant programme. Results: The optimization analysis revealed that shifts in funding allocations could further minimize incidence and deaths by 2020 within the available resource envelope. The largest emphasis should be on antiretroviral therapy (ART), with the optimal investment to increase treatment coverage by 40%. Optimal investments also involve increases in opiate substitution therapy and FSW programmes, as well as maintenance of other prevention programmes for PWID and prevention of mother-to-child transmission. Additional funding for these increases should come from budgets for general population programmes. This is projected to avert 17% of new infections and 29% of AIDS-related deaths by 2020 compared to a baseline scenario of maintaining 2013 spending. Our sensitivity analysis demonstrated that, at current spending, coverage of annual testing among migrants of at least 43% should be achieved to warrant continuation of funding for this programme. Conclusions: Optimization of HIV/AIDS investment in Armenia, with a main priority for scaling-up ART, and less emphasis on primary prevention in the general non-key population could significantly reduce incidence and deaths by 2020. Keywords: HIV; HIV investment; people living with HIV; HIV treatment; seasonal labour migrant HIV programmes., Introduction Levels of HIV funding from international donors to lower-middle income countries, like Armenia, have plateaued [1]. With an increased need to respond to the HIV epidemic in Armenia, but [...]

Introduction: International investment in the response to HIV and AIDS has plateaued and its future level is uncertain. With many countries committed to ending the epidemic, it is essential to allocate available resources efficiently over different response periods to maximize impact. The objective of this study is to propose a technique to determine the optimal allocation of funds over time across a set of HIV programmes to achieve desirable health outcomes. Methods: We developed a technique to determine the optimal time-varying allocation of funds (1) when the future annual HIV budget is pre-defined and (2) when the total budget over a period is pre-defined, but the year-on-year budget is to be optimally determined. We use this methodology with Optima, an HIV transmission model that uses non-linear relationships between programme spending and associated programmatic outcomes to quantify the expected epidemiological impact of spending. We apply these methods to data collected from Zambia to determine the optimal distribution of resources to fund the right programmes, for the right people, at the right time. Results and discussion: Considering realistic implementation and ethical constraints, we estimate that the optimal time-varying redistribution of the 2014 Zambian HIV budget between 2015 and 2025 will lead to a 7.6% (7.3% to 7.8%) decrease in cumulative new HIV infections compared with a baseline scenario where programme allocations remain at 2014 levels. This compares to a 5.1% (4.6% to 5.6%) reduction in new infections using an optimal allocation with constant programme spending that recommends unrealistic programmatic changes. Contrasting priorities for programme funding arise when assessing outcomes for a five-year funding period over 5-, 10- and 20-year time horizons. Conclusions: Countries increasingly face the need to do more with the resources available. The methodology presented here can aid decision-makers in planning as to when to expand or contract programmes and to which coverage levels to maximize impact. Keywords: allocative efficiency; HIV/AIDS; mathematical modelling; Optima; time-varying optimization; Zambia., Introduction Despite ambitious targets to end the HIV epidemic, international investment in the global HIV response has plateaued in recent years [1,2]. At the same time, countries are increasingly expected [...]

Background While dramatic gains in the availability of antiretroviral medications in developing countries have been achieved [1], there is growing consensus that, unless prevention efforts can be made more effective, [...]

Background: Despite a non-decreasing HIV epidemic, international donors are soon expected to withdraw funding from Kazakhstan. Here we analyze how allocative, implementation, and technical efficiencies could strengthen the national HIV response under assumptions of future budget levels. Methodology: We used the Optima model to project future scenarios of the HIV epidemic in Kazakhstan that varied in future antiretroviral treatment unit costs and management expenditure—two areas identified for potential cost-reductions. We determined optimal allocations across HIV programs to satisfy either national targets or ambitious targets. For each scenario, we considered two cases of future HIV financing: the 2014 national budget maintained into the future and the 2014 budget without current international investment. Findings: Kazakhstan can achieve its national HIV targets with the current budget by (1) optimally re-allocating resources across programs and (2) either securing a 35% [30%–39%] reduction in antiretroviral treatment drug costs or reducing management costs by 44% [36%–58%] of 2014 levels. Alternatively, a combination of antiretroviral treatment and management cost-reductions could be sufficient. Furthermore, Kazakhstan can achieve ambitious targets of halving new infections and AIDS-related deaths by 2020 compared to 2014 levels by attaining a 67% reduction in antiretroviral treatment costs, a 19% [14%–27%] reduction in management costs, and allocating resources optimally. Significance: With Kazakhstan facing impending donor withdrawal, it is important for the HIV response to achieve more with available resources. This analysis can help to guide HIV response planners in directing available funding to achieve the greatest yield from investments. The key changes recommended were considered realistic by Kazakhstan country representatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]