Spotlight on the Advanced HIV Disease (AHD) Quality Improvement Evaluation Dissemination Conference

Overview

Background

Advanced HIV Disease (AHD) is linked to increased mortality because clients with AHD have an increased risk of opportunistic infections, including tuberculosis, even after initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART). According to Malawi Spectrum (2021), more than 40% of people living with HIV (PLHIV) present with AHD in Malawi. In 2019, 11.7% of clients who initiated ART had an AHD diagnosis. These patterns demonstrated that despite national HIV response efforts, including accessibility to ART, gaps in meeting the critical needs of individuals with AHD existed. To address AHD and reduce associated mortality, the Ministry of Health, CDC Malawi, and the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF), with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, worked to support the national scale-up of a refined package of AHD care and to establish an AHD-focused quality improvement (QI) collaborative.

Rationale for the Advanced HIV Disease (AHD) Quality Improvement Evaluation Dissemination Conference

The AHD Quality Improvement Evaluation Dissemination Conference aimed to disseminate findings from the AHD differentiated care model study and explore how the findings could be scaled up to other facilities in Malawi. The conference brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including key staff of the Ministry of Health, EGPAF, CDC Malawi, donors, implementing partners, district health management teams, academia, media, and health facility representatives. Notably, the conference provided for robust dialogue among stakeholders on the implications of the findings, key lessons and opportunities, and directions for the future of scaling up the AHD differentiated care model in Malawi.