HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care and Treatment Program serving Venezuelan Migrants in Colombia
Abstract
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is proposing a program to address the need for HIV testing, treatment, and viral suppression among Venezuelan migrants who are sheltering in Colombia, as well as high-risk Colombians. The proposed program will work in coordination with Colombian government HIV prevention and health services, as well as the DHAPP/DoD Program Manager based at the US Embassy in Peru, other DHAPP supported implementing partners working in Colombia, other bilateral and multilateral agencies with similar objectives and the DHAPP Headquarters Team. Program activities will include HIV testing, treatment, and viral suppression activities. HIV prevalence estimates among Venezuelan migrants in Colombia are high and viral suppression rates are extremely low. Due to the recent major internal upheaval in Venezuela, it is estimated that 2 million Venezuelans have migrated to Colombia and only 75% are there illegally, as temporary migrants, or are in transit to other countries (e.g., Peru or Chile). AHF has been operating in Cucuta, Colombia since September 2018 and has provided 1,928 HIV rapid tests (60% with Venezuelan migrants), yielding a seropositivity rate of 19% (30% among migrants). AHF linked 100% to HIV care and treatment services at its site; 100% are receiving ART services. AHF will expand its HIV services to 5 additional sites. AHF will leverage its experience serving HIV-positive persons in Cucuta and will utilize multiple strategies to ensure effective program implementation. Strategies will include employing mobile teams of key program staff to conduct outreach and engagement, confirmatory testing and contact tracing, linkage to HIV care and treatment, laboratory capacity building, site improvement, and data monitoring; AHF will deploy testing and health teams to 6 regions to provide services. Clients will be linked for treatment services to public hospitals through an agreement with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection (MOH), as well as through health services with the Colombian military. AHF has a partnership agreement with the MOH and will leverage the existing infrastructure at the public hospitals to ensure access to HIV care and treatment, as well as TB prophylaxis and treatment. The goal of AHF’s program is to support test and treatment efforts in Venezuelan migrant communities in Colombia. Objectives will include: 1) 50,000 individuals will receive HIV testing services and their test results; 2) At least 60% of persons age 15 years and older and newly diagnosed with HIV-1 infection who have a test for recent infection result of ‘recent infection’ during the reporting period; 3) 2,000 adults and children will be newly enrolled in ART services; 4) 100% of patients with older and newly diagnosed with HIV-1 infection will screened for TB; 5) 100% of ART patients with positive signs of TB will start TB treatment; 6) 100% of ART patients without positive signs of TB and = < 200 CD4 will receive TB prophylaxis; 7) 72% of ART patients with a suppressed viral load will be documented in the medical or laboratory records/laboratory information systems. Anticipated impact and results will include: increased identification of HIV-positive persons and/or TB; increased access to HIV care and treatment services; increased access to TB prevention and treatment; increased laboratory capacity to document patient level data, including VL; improved health status among PLHIV; decreased transmission of HIV; increased identification of persons ARV resistance; and decreased transmission of HIV resistant strains.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 24, 2020
- Source ID
- N002442010003
Entities
People
- Patricia Campos
Organizations
- United States Department of Defense