I-TECH Presents at PEPFAR HIV/AIDS Implementers’ Meeting in Namibia

The third annual PEPFAR HIV/AIDS Implementers' Meeting was held in Windhoek, Namibia from 10 to 14 June. The meeting "gathers together program implementers to share best practices and lessons learned in the fight against global AIDS." The theme of this year's meeting was "Optimizing the Response: Partnerships for Sustainability" and its objectives were to:

• "Widely disseminate, in real time, best practices and lessons learned during the implementation of multisectoral HIV/AIDS programs with a focus on:
• Optimizing the impact of prevention, care and treatment programs
• Enhancing program quality
• Promoting coordination among partners
• Encouraging innovative responses
• Catalyze an open dialogue about future directions of HIV/AIDS programs with a strong emphasis on implementation
• Directly impact HIV/AIDS program implementation in the upcoming year with the goal of building a sustainable response"

I-TECH—represented by Co-Directors Ann Downer and Michael Reyes, as well as participants from I-TECH Ethiopia, Haiti, India, Mozambique, and Namibia—shared experiences, best practices, and lessons learned at the meeting through the following presentations and posters. A full book of the conference abstracts (PDF) is available here.

• Virological Discordance in Patients on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) with Immunological Failure in Government Hospital of Thoracic Medicine (GHTM), Tambaram: First Time Experience in Indian Government Programme. Authors: Ganesh Anusuyal, Rajasekaren Shikamani, Manoharan Gurusamy, Jyoti Somani, Raja Krishnaraj, Ezhil Radhakrishnan, Patrick Nadol. [I-TECH India]
• Virological Outcomes in HIV Infected Patients with Suspected Treatment Failure Based on Clinical or Immunological Criteria in Oshakati, Namibia. Authors: Mudiayi T, Mavhunga F, Manhando K, Mwodza K, Malunga M, Sikazwe M, Ilungu M, Hamta N. [I-TECH Namibia]

• Mentoring of Mentors: A Critical Component of the Clinical Mentoring Strategy in PMTCT in Mozambique. Authors: Chavane F, Chongo L, Porto F, Butler I, Freistadt F, Robertson M, De Jesus O, Hunguane E, Rodrigues C, Karajeans E. [I-TECH Mozambique]
• Programming for Sustainability: The iSanté HIV Electronic Medical Record System in Haiti. Authors: Patrice Joseph, Atwood Raphael, Edieu Louissaint, William Lober, Steve Wagner, Christina Quiles, Jean Solon Valles, Roges Lamothe, Perri Sutton, Rachel Labbé Coq. [I-TECH Haiti]
• Use of Film to Address HIV-related Stigma and Discrimination in the Namibian Military. Authors: Zackin L, Muvangua M, Wood S, Nghondela A, Asrat A, Furtwangler T. [I-TECH Namibia]

• Standardizing Approach to Management of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). Authors: Dawit Endale, Fana Tefera, Getachew Feleke, Benti Geleta. [I-TECH Ethiopia]