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Access, timeliness and retention for HIV testing under early infant diagnosis (EID) program, India

Authors :
Suchit Kamble
Nilesh Gawde
Noopur Goel
Mohan Thorwat
Kalyani Nikhare
Shilpa Bembalkar
Sushmita Kamble
Radhika Brahme
Swapna Pawar
Rakesh Sahoo
Manish Rana
Manishkumar Singh
Syed Ahmed Mohiuddin
Shivappa Hatnoor
Bayapa Reddy Narapureddy
M. Saleem
Kirti Shekhawat
Vinita Verma
Neha Kapoor
Chinmoyee Das
Raman Gangakhedkar
Source :
Scientific Reports, Vol 13, Iss 1, Pp 1-11 (2023)
Publication Year :
2023
Publisher :
Nature Portfolio, 2023.

Abstract

Abstract Early Infant Diagnosis of HIV infection services are crucial for managing the perinatally acquired HIV infection. Assessing the performance of the EID services and its underlying determinants is important for the National AIDS Control Program, India. The objectives of this study were to find out access to HIV testing, the timeliness of the testing cascade, and the proportion of HIV exposed infants who are followed up to 18 months for a definitive diagnosis of HIV. The study design was a mixed method. A total of 11 states accounting for 80% of HIV-positive pregnant women were selected. Program records from a total of 62 Integrated counselling and testing centres (ICTCs) served as the source of information. The qualitative component included interviews of program managers at the state and district level, service providers at the ICTC level, and caregivers of HIV exposed infants. In the sampled 62 ICTCs, 78% of the HIV exposed infants had at least one HIV test. Of the infants who had HIV tests, 50% had at first sample collected by 8 weeks of age. The median turnaround time from sample collection to DNA PCR testing was 36 (IQR 19–70) days and that to next sample collection in case of detection of virus in the first sample was 66 (IQR 55–116) days. At 18 months of age, 544 (62%) HIV exposed infants were retained in the EID testing cascade. A total of 30 infants were diagnosed with HIV at a median age of 421 (IQR 149–650) days. More than three fourth of the HIV exposed infants had access to early infant diagnosis (EID) services. Both demand and supply-side factors contribute to access, timeliness and retention and there is a need to address these factors.

Subjects

Subjects :
Medicine
Science

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20452322
Volume :
13
Issue :
1
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Scientific Reports
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.1e0388b1ec754acbb72f7f7e0b6324e4
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-32056-y