Bridging borders in HIV care education: Lessons from an online multidisciplinary international exchange programme

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Infectious Diseases
• Medical Education

Background:

• The British HIV Association (BHIVA) offers International Exchange Fellowships (IEFs) to enhance HIV care by connecting UK institutions with those in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
• The COVID-19 pandemic shifted these exchanges to a virtual format, necessitating adaptation.
• This initiative established a virtual educational exchange for healthcare professionals managing HIV in Chile, Peru, and the UK.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and value of virtual international educational exchanges in HIV care.
• To foster bidirectional learning and knowledge sharing between healthcare professionals in diverse settings.
• To develop a replicable model for global collaboration in HIV education.

Main Methods:

• Virtual meetings were conducted with real-time English-Spanish translation.
• An online survey identified participant interest and key HIV care topics.
• Sessions included country-specific presentations and participant feedback was collected.

Main Results:

• High interest was observed, with sessions attracting an average of 100 participants.
• Long-acting injectable antiretroviral therapy (ART) emerged as a highly popular topic.
• Despite logistical challenges like time zones, the program was well-received, with participants eager to continue.

Conclusions:

• Virtual exchanges, supported by BHIVA IEF, proved feasible and valuable for international HIV care collaboration.
• The program facilitated essential knowledge exchange, benefiting professionals in LMICs.
• Improvements in logistics and promotion can enhance future impact, offering a sustainable model for global HIV education.