Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on ART Initiation and Access to HIV Viral Load Monitoring in Adults Living With HIV in West Africa: A Regression Discontinuity Analysis.
Jihane Ben-FarhatThierry TiendrebeogoKaren MalatesteArmel PodaAlbert MingaEugène MessouHenri ChenalOliver EzechiIgho OfotokunDidier K EkoueviFabrice BonnetDiana BargerAntoine Jaquetnull nullPublished in: Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999) (2024)
HIV clinics in two out of three countries in West Africa demonstrated resilience as they successfully maintained access to ART for ALWH despite the challenges imposed by the pandemic. However, VL monitoring was severely disrupted and did not return to prepandemic levels approximately 1 year after the beginning of the pandemic. Continued monitoring of the HIV care continuum in the postpandemic period is essential to mitigate potential enduring effects on ALWH's virological and clinical outcomes.