Special webinar to disseminate WHO’s guidelines and ATLAS/STAR experiences in monitoring and evaluation of HIV self-testing (HIVST) in West and Central Africa.
The session is in French with simultaneous interpretation in English.
Organizers/partners
- WHO Global HIV, Hepatitis and STIs Programs
- Unitaid
- ATLAS Project and STAR Initiative
Objectives
- Presentation of the WHO guidance on HIVST monitoring and evaluation
- Sharing experiences of HIVST monitoring and evaluation approaches and tools from the ATLAS and STAR projects
- Presentation of the ATLAS data triangulation method
Agenda
28 April 2022 | 15:00-16:15 CEST (13:00-14:15 UTC)
Moderator: Mach-Houd Kouton, UNAIDS
| Welcome and introductions | Rachel Baggaley, WHO |
| WHO HIVST monitoring and evaluation guidance | Anne Bekelynck, WHO |
| Monitoring and evaluation approaches and tools from the ATLAS project | Anthony Vautier, Solthis/ATLAS |
| HIVST data triangulation method | Arlette Simo Fotso, IRD/ATLAS |
| Digital platforms to facilitate HIVST and reporting through the client journey, experience from the STAR Initiative | Karin Hatzold, PSI/STAR |
| Experiences from HIVST monitoring and evaluation in Senegal | Fatou Fall, DLSI |
| Testimony of a community representative, Côte d’Ivoire | Video |
| Global Fund HIVST monitoring and evaluation approaches | David Maman, Global Fund |
| Moderated Discussion with Panellists | Chaired by Nayé Bah, WHO |
Background
HIV self-testing (HIVST) is an innovation that has the potential to reach priority populations not yet otherwise tested. Evidence shows HIVST increases uptake and frequency of testing among populations not served by existing services, particularly key populations, adult men, and youth aged 15-24.
With support from Unitaid, the ATLAS project enabled large-scale integrated HIVST distribution in three countries (Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Mali) from 2018 to 2022. The project objectives were to: i) contribute to creating favorable conditions for the HIVST introduction and scale-up, ii) diversify distribution channels to reach the project's target populations while encouraging confirmatory testing and treatment, and finally iii) generate evidence on the results and impact of interventions through scientific studies and ensure their promotion.
In parallel with the dissemination of the ATLAS project results, several countries in the sub-region of West and Central Africa have introduced HIVST, notably thanks to the technical assistance provided by the Unitaid ATLAS (Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Sierra Leone) and the STAR Initiative (11 countries in West, Central, East and Southern Africa) and funding from the Global Fund and PEPFAR.
HIVST poses a challenge to monitoring and evaluation, since most beneficiaries who obtain HIVST kits want to use them in a private and confidential setting. This makes it particularly difficult to collect data on test use, result and linkage to care, especially in the context of secondary distribution where the end user is not known.
WHO does not recommend the use of systematic tracking to obtain data, for both ethical reasons (in terms of respect for confidentiality) and feasibility in the context of scaling up (in terms of resource needs). WHO suggests alternative practical approaches for monitoring and evaluation of HIVT such as collecting data on a sub-set of users based on voluntary reporting, use of mHealth and digital platforms, data collection at the time of confirmatory testing and/or antiretroviral therapy initiation, and data triangulation.
This webinar proposes to address the issue of HIVST monitoring and evaluation, based on the WHO guidance and the ATLAS and STAR experiences in West and Central Africa.