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Access, timeliness and retention for HIV testing under early infant diagnosis (EID) program, India
Suchit Kamble1, Nilesh Gawde2, Noopur Goel1
1ICMR - National AIDS Research Institute, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
Scientific Reports
|April 6, 2023
Summary
Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) services are vital for managing perinatally acquired HIV infection in infants. While most HIV-exposed infants accessed EID services, timely testing and retention in care remain challenges for India's National AIDS Control Program.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Infectious Diseases
- Pediatric HIV
Background:
- Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) is critical for managing perinatally acquired HIV infection.
- Assessing EID service performance is essential for India's National AIDS Control Program.
- Understanding determinants of access, timeliness, and retention is key.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate access to HIV testing for infants.
- To assess the timeliness of the EID testing cascade.
- To determine the proportion of HIV-exposed infants retained for diagnosis by 18 months.
Main Methods:
- Mixed-methods study across 11 Indian states.
- Analysis of program records from 62 Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres (ICTCs).
- Qualitative interviews with program managers, service providers, and caregivers.
Main Results:
- 78% of HIV-exposed infants received at least one HIV test.
- 50% had their first sample collected by 8 weeks; median DNA PCR turnaround time was 36 days.
- 62% of infants were retained in the EID cascade by 18 months, with 30 diagnosed with HIV.
Conclusions:
- Over three-fourths of HIV-exposed infants accessed EID services.
- Both demand and supply-side factors impact EID access, timeliness, and retention.
- Addressing identified factors is crucial for improving EID program outcomes.
