May – October 2021
Togo
Togo receives a grant from the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, which ends with the 2018-2020 period and will be followed by a new allocation for the 2021-2023 period (NFM3). The latest request to the Global Fund, submitted at the end of May 2020, has been approved by the Technical Review Committee. The proposal, which is currently being finalized, provides for a more ambitious rollout of HIV viral load (VL) testing and early infant diagnosis (EID). Technical assistance (TA) to the National AIDS Control Program (PNLS), aimed at supporting the development of a plan to scale up viral load testing and early diagnosis in infants (EDI), was entrusted to Solthis between February and July 2020. This enabled the first objective, which was to carry out a situational diagnosis, to be achieved. In accordance with the terms of reference of the mission, following the assessment that has already been carried out and shared, a plan for scaling up access to VL and EID is to be produced based on the situational diagnosis carried out, and in close collaboration with national institutions and officials.
General objective
Improve the quality of care for people living with HIV and early infant diagnosis (EID) by strengthening access to viral load testing as part of the 90-90-90 strategy.
Specific objectives
Strengthen access to viral load testing and early infant diagnosis (EID) by strengthening existing channels and developing channels for areas not covered.
Beneficiaries
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PNLS
Results
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Developing the plan for scaling up viral load testing (and DPN) and its annexes (financing plan, performance framework, implementation timetable, and a specific plan for strengthening the skills of health personnel)
– Defining infrastructure and equipment needs and the maintenance strategy
– Develop an operational plan for the sample transport system and a strategy for returning results based on the structure of the healthcare pyramid, considering the possibility of using secure and certified electronic messages
– Define procedures and mechanisms for using GeneXpert© devices
– Define internal and external test quality control mechanisms (EQA)
– Define a contingency plan with a clear Standard Operating Procedure and mechanisms for outsourcing to private laboratories in the event of a national network failure
– Present the plan and its annexes to stakeholders for validation.
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Supporting the rollout of the new plan (staff training, monitoring mission, tools for capitalizing on and promoting achievements)
– Supporting the rollout and monitoring of the new system through staff training
– Carrying out monitoring
– Producing tools for capitalizing on and promoting achievements at the end of the mission