Abstract

CHRISTIE, Michael; MAZANDERANI, Ahmad Haeri; SHERMAN, Gayle  and  FEUCHT, Ute. How paediatric HIV services weathered the COVID-19 storm in Tshwane District, South Africa. South. Afr. j. HIV med. (Online) [online]. 2024, vol.25, n.1, pp.1-9. ISSN 2078-6751.  https://doi.org/10.4102/sajhivmed.v25i1.1557.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted paediatric HIV services across South Africa. Shortly before COVID-19, updated national HIV guidelines were released OBJECTIVES: This study describes COVID-19's impact on paediatric HIV services in Tshwane District, South Africa METHOD: A retrospective review of National Institute for Communicable Diseases and District Health Information System data for Tshwane District from April 2019 to March 2022. Data included: Early Infant Diagnosis (EID), HIV viral load (VL) and CD4 monitoring and HIV management among children (< 15 years) living with HIV (CLHIV). Pre-pandemic (2019/2020) and pandemic periods (2020/2021, 2021/2022) were compared RESULTS: Year-on-year, HIV testing improved at 10 weeks, 6 months, and 18 months, whereas birth testing decreased. HIV EID case rates were 485 (2019/2020), 410 (2020/2021) and 454 (2021/2022). HIV EID test positivity was 0.77% - 1.2%. Antiretroviral treatment initiation declined from 2019/2020 to 2020/2021, but improved in 2021/2022 Initial HIV VL and CD4 testing declined, with HIV VL testing increasing in 2021/2022, and CD4 testing further declining. HIV VL suppression rate among CLHIV ranged from 69% to 73%. CONCLUSION: Initially, COVID-19 resulted in reduced paediatric HIV services as children disengaged from care. Indicators eventually recovered to proximate pre-pandemic levels; however, compensatory increases did not occur. Thus, some children may not have returned to care

Keywords : COVID-19; paediatric HIV; public health; HIV management; children living with HIV; HIV services.

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