Initiation of antiretroviral therapy at rural primary health care clinics in KwaZulu Natal
Authors: Ganesen-Moothusamy Hilda , Naidoo Mergan 
Published: May 2013

South Africa bears the greatest burden of HIV infection globally with the most infected people living in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Decentralised medical care for HIV positive patients and antiretroviral therapy (ART) delivery to primary health care facilities were proposed nationally to achieve adequate ART coverage for patients in need of treatment. This study described the HIV positive patients who accessed medical care and were initiated on ART at two existing government Primary Health Care (PHC) clinics with no added donor support, in Ilembe, KZN. This was an observational descriptive study of ART initiation from 01 April 2008 to 30 April 2009. Data were collected from clinical records kept on site. HIV Testing and the pre-ART programmes which consisted of medical care prior to ART initiation are briefly described. Socio-economic, demographic and clinical characteristics of patients who were initiated on ART were sampled and described. A minority (2.95%) of the study population tested for HIV of which 36.0% tested positive. Majority (60.0%) of patients who joined the pre-ART programme care did not return. The ART sample consisted of 375 patients of whom 65.0% were women, 85.9% were unmarried, 61.6% were unemployed and 50.4% had a secondary level of education. Tuberculosis (TB) prevalence and incidence at ART initiation were 22.1% and 14.7% respectively. The prevalence of Syphilis and Hepatitis B co-infections were 13.1% and 8.6 % respectively. Two thirds of female patients (66.4%) received a Pap smear result of which the majority (62.3%) were abnormal. Uptake for HIV testing followed by relevant CD4 testing was poor. High TB, Hepatitis B and Syphilis co-infection was noted amongst patients initiated on ART. Cervical cancer screening must be intensified. Although ART initiation with no added external resources was successful, record keeping was suboptimal.Suid-Afrika dra die grootste las van MIV-infeksie ter wêreld met die meeste besmette mense in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Gedesentraliseerde mediese sorg vir MIV-positiewe pasiënte en dienslewering van antiretrovirale terapie (ART) aan primêre gesondheidsorg- fasiliteite is nasionaal voorgestel om optimale ART-behandeling aan behoeftige te verskaf. Hierdie studie beskryf MIV-positiewe pasiënte wat ART-behandeling ontvang by twee bestaande Primêre Gesondheidsorgklinieke (PGS) in Ilembe, KZN sonder enige bykomende skenkerondersteuning. Waarnemingstegnieke is in die studie gebruik om ART-bekendstelling van 01 April 2008 tot 30 April 2009 te bestudeer. Data van kliniese rekords wat op die perseel gehou is, is ingesamel. MIV-toetsing en mediese behandelingsprogramme voor die bekendstelling van ART word kortliks beskryf. Sosio-ekonomiese, demografiese en kliniese eienskappe van pasiënte wat aan ART bekendgestel is, is versamel en beskryf. Minimum (2.95%) respondente aan die studie is vir MIV getoets, waarvan 36.0% positief getoets het. Die Meerderheid (60.0%) van pasiënte wat by die voorafgaande ART-sorgprogram aangesluit het, het nie terugkeer nie. Die ART-steekproef het bestaan ​​uit 375 pasiënte waarvan 65.0% vroue was, 85.9% was ongetroud, 61.6% was werkloos en 50.4% het ’n sekondêre vlak van onderwys gehad. Die bestaan (reeds onder behandeling) en voorkoms (diagnose tydens bekendstelling van die ART-program) van Tuberkulose (TB) tydens ART-bekendstelling was 22.1% en 14.7% onderskeidelik. Die voorkoms van sifilis- en hepatitis B-infeksies was 13.1% en 8.6% onderskeidelik. Twee derdes van die vroulike pasiënte (66.4%) het ’n Papsmeer ondergaan, waarvan die meerderheid (62.3%) se uitslae abnormaal was. Die begrip vir MIV-toetsing gevolg deur toepaslike CD4-toetsing was swak. Hoë TB-, Hepatitis B- en sifilisinfeksies was by pasiënte aangeteken wat met ART-behandeling begin het. Ondersoeke vir servikale kanker moet verhoog word. Hoewel die ART-bekendstelling met geen toegevoegde eksterne hulpbronne suksesvol was, was rekordhouding nie optimaal nie.