Scaling up chronic care systems: leveraging HIV programs to support noncommunicable disease services

The scale-up of HIV services in lower-income countries has created the first large-scale continuity care program in many settings. Although HIV and chronic noncommunicable diseases are thought of as quite different challenges and tend to be "siloed" throughout the health system, the availability of treatment has transformed HIV into a chronic condition-and HIV programs have developed the systems, tools, and approaches needed to support continuity care in the local context. In many cases, HIV programs have developed practical and contextually appropriate resources that might be used to support nascent noncommunicable diseases programs.