CHS at the NASCOP/HIV Clinicians Society of Kenya National HIV Conference 2016

CHS actively participated at the 2016 National HIV Conference that took place from September 18 – 21, 2016 at the Weston Hotel in Nairobi.

The Ministry of Health through the National AIDS and STI Control Program (NASCOP) and the HIV Clinicians Society of Kenya jointly hosted this conference, which attracted more than 600 Kenyan and international delegates. As Kenya journeys with the rest of the world towards a HIV-free world, the conference continues to grow in reputation as an important platform for sharing best practices and the latest progress in HIV research, and their applications in ending AIDS.

Country statistics show that over 100,000 new HIV infections occur annually, with 21% of these occurring among young women (15-25 years), and 10% among children infected through mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Despite the emergence of new HIV prevention tools and improved access to treatment, new HIV infections remain unacceptably high, HIV treatment is not accessible to all who need it, and optimal treatment outcomes benefits remain unattained.

The Kenya AIDS Strategic Framework 2014/15 – 2018/19 envisions a Kenya free of new HIV infections, zero AIDS-related deaths and zero stigma and discrimination. Kenya is committed to reducing new HIV infections by 75% and achieving the 90-90-90 HIV treatment goals by 2019, ambitious but feasible goals that could move the country towards epidemic control.

During the three-day conference, the scientific committee, donor and implementing partners, researchers and other speakers highlighted the contributing factors to the growing concerns, and provided insights on best practices, while encouraging the HIV care and treatment fraternity to work together towards achieving the ambitious 90-90-90 targets.

Some of the themes covered during the conference included: the newly-launched test and treat guidelines, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), HIV in children and adolescents, reproductive health and PMTCT, adherence and retention, prevention and treatment of HIV in adults, drug resistance and the implications for Africa, future treatment choices, laboratory services and resistance testing.

CHS actively contributed to the deliberations at the conference through the presentation of 12 abstracts from our work in HIV care and treatment.

List of poster abstracts presented at the conference

1. Combination of HIV testing approaches to reach 90% knowledge of HIV status: Nyeri County Referral Hospital experience
2. Impact of health facility and community linkages in TB contact tracing
3. Improving referrals, linkages and enrolments of clients testing positive at Muriranjas Sub-District Hospital
4. Increasing testing uptake among contact clients towards reaching the 90% knowledge of HIV status
5. Maximising adherence counselling for clients with high viral loads through counselling follow-up identification card
6. Pyramidal peer-led approach innovation to improve adolescent’s care and treatment towards 90-90-90 target
7. Use of viral load testing in monitoring viral suppression among paediatrics: A case study of Kasuku Health Centre, Nyandarua County
8. Viral load line listing to enhance ART patient management towards 90-90-90 target

List of oral abstracts presented at the conference

1. Non-communicable diseases in HIV infected patients; types, risk factors and services offered in HIV clinics in Kenya
2. Aging with HIV: Effectiveness of a special support group for those aging with HIV at Muriranjas SDH
3. Antiretroviral drug toxicity in HIV infected individuals starting therapy: A retrospective study of toxicity type and risk factors in Kenya
4. Determinants of ART switch and time to switch among children and adolescents