African HIV technical experts to meet in Namibia
Xinhua, September 12, 2016 Adjust font size:
More than 120 technical experts from 11 different African countries are expected to convene in Windhoek, Wednesday, for a four-day HIV Viral Load Testing workshop.
Running under the theme: Scaling up HIV Viral Load Testing and Uptake of the Results through Improving Efficiencies of Systems, the workshop is being funded by the United States, through the President's Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
The World Health Organization recommends viral load testing for monitoring treatment in patients who are on antiretroviral therapy (ART).
The workshop is the first of its kind to be held in Namibia.
Clinical and laboratory experts in the HIV field will discuss and share strategies and country experiences in improving efficiencies for increased HIV viral load testing and uptake of results for patient management.
Namibia is one of the top three African countries that provides viral load testing to people living with HIV who need the test.
Monitoring HIV treatment through viral load testing is important to detect treatment failure which can cause HIV patients to get sicker or even die from HIV. Endit