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Barriers Associated with the Effective Implementation of the Universal Test and Treat Strategy of HIV/AIDS in Fako Division of Cameroon: A Qualitative Study

Received: 9 August 2022     Accepted: 5 September 2022     Published: 18 October 2022
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Abstract

Introduction: Universal test and treat strategy of HIV/AIDS was introduced by The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in 2014. This was to scale up the attainment of the 90-90-90 target. This strategy only took effect in Cameroon in 2016. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify barriers that hinder the effective uptake of this approach following two years of implementation. Materials and methods: This was a qualitative study where 8 focus group discussions were conducted among community members and 25 in-depth interviews among HIV patients, clinicians and coordinators of HIV/AIDS treatment centers. The study was carried out in 8 randomly selected communities within the 4 health districts of Fako division of Cameroon. Data was collected on demographic characteristics and barriers that hinder the effective implementation of test and treat strategy. The data was analyzed using Nvivo 11. Results: The identified barriers were grouped into 2 themes. Health service related barriers and client/community related barriers: Health service related barriers were: Frequent drugs stockout, unavailability of HIV test kids, lack of work space to provide services to client, lack of confidentially among health workers, limited number of psychosocial counselors and poor attitude of health workers. Client/community related barriers were; Fear of positive results, long waiting time and long distant to the HIV/AIDS treatment centers. Conclusion: In order to achieve the 90-90-90- target, the community and hospital related barriers to test and treat strategy need to be addressed by improving the services rendered and also to scale up sensitization on the importance of HIV testing and treatment.

Published in International Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Education and Behavioural Science (Volume 8, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220802.12
Page(s) 55-60
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Barriers, Implementation, Universal Test and Treat, HIV/AIDS, Cameroon

References
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[4] World Health Organization: Guideline on when to start antiretroviral therapy and on pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV. Geneva, 2015. P. 45-49.
[5] Countries adopt UNAIDS Fast-Track Strategy to double number of people on life-saving HIV treatment by 2020. Available from: https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/pressreleaseandstatementarchive/2015/november/20151124. Accessed date: 2020 Aug 11.
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[7] Bain LE, Nkoke C, Noubiap JJN. UNAIDS 90–90–90 targets to end the AIDS epidemic by 2020 are not realistic: comment on “Can the UNAIDS 90–90–90 target be achieved? A systematic analysis of national HIV treatment cascades.” BMJ Global Health. 2017; 2 (2): 216-221.
[8] Zakumumpa H, Kiweewa FM, Khuluza F, Kitutu FE. “The number of clients is increasing but the supplies are reducing”: provider strategies for responding to chronic antiretroviral (ARV) medicines stock-outs in resource-limited settings: a qualitative study from Uganda. BMC Health Service Research. 2019; 19 (1): 312-316.
[9] Conway DP, Holt M, Couldwell DL, Smith DE, Davies SC, McNulty A, et al. Barriers to HIV testing and characteristics associated with never testing among gay and bisexual men attending sexual health clinics in Sydney. Journal of International AIDS Society. 2015; 18 (1): 20221-20227.
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[14] Blas MM, Alva IE, Cabello R, Carcamo C, Kurth AE. Risk behaviors and reasons for not getting tested for HIV among men who have sex with men: an online survey in Peru. PLoS One. 2011; 6 (11): 27334-2738.
[15] Meka AF, Billong SC, Diallo I, Tiemtore OW, Bongwong B, Nguefack-Tsague G. Challenges and barriers to HIV service uptake and delivery along the HIV care cascade in Cameroon. The Pan African Medical Journal. 2020; 36 (3): 231-238.
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Kah Emmanuel Nji, Vincent Verla Siysi, Nsagha Dickson Shey, Che Frankline Anyiang, Serge Ngekeng, et al. (2022). Barriers Associated with the Effective Implementation of the Universal Test and Treat Strategy of HIV/AIDS in Fako Division of Cameroon: A Qualitative Study. International Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Education and Behavioural Science, 8(2), 55-60. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220802.12

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    ACS Style

    Kah Emmanuel Nji; Vincent Verla Siysi; Nsagha Dickson Shey; Che Frankline Anyiang; Serge Ngekeng, et al. Barriers Associated with the Effective Implementation of the Universal Test and Treat Strategy of HIV/AIDS in Fako Division of Cameroon: A Qualitative Study. Int. J. HIV/AIDS Prev. Educ. Behav. Sci. 2022, 8(2), 55-60. doi: 10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220802.12

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    AMA Style

    Kah Emmanuel Nji, Vincent Verla Siysi, Nsagha Dickson Shey, Che Frankline Anyiang, Serge Ngekeng, et al. Barriers Associated with the Effective Implementation of the Universal Test and Treat Strategy of HIV/AIDS in Fako Division of Cameroon: A Qualitative Study. Int J HIV/AIDS Prev Educ Behav Sci. 2022;8(2):55-60. doi: 10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220802.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220802.12,
      author = {Kah Emmanuel Nji and Vincent Verla Siysi and Nsagha Dickson Shey and Che Frankline Anyiang and Serge Ngekeng and Ngowe Ngowe Marcelin},
      title = {Barriers Associated with the Effective Implementation of the Universal Test and Treat Strategy of HIV/AIDS in Fako Division of Cameroon: A Qualitative Study},
      journal = {International Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Education and Behavioural Science},
      volume = {8},
      number = {2},
      pages = {55-60},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220802.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220802.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijhpebs.20220802.12},
      abstract = {Introduction: Universal test and treat strategy of HIV/AIDS was introduced by The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in 2014. This was to scale up the attainment of the 90-90-90 target. This strategy only took effect in Cameroon in 2016. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify barriers that hinder the effective uptake of this approach following two years of implementation. Materials and methods: This was a qualitative study where 8 focus group discussions were conducted among community members and 25 in-depth interviews among HIV patients, clinicians and coordinators of HIV/AIDS treatment centers. The study was carried out in 8 randomly selected communities within the 4 health districts of Fako division of Cameroon. Data was collected on demographic characteristics and barriers that hinder the effective implementation of test and treat strategy. The data was analyzed using Nvivo 11. Results: The identified barriers were grouped into 2 themes. Health service related barriers and client/community related barriers: Health service related barriers were: Frequent drugs stockout, unavailability of HIV test kids, lack of work space to provide services to client, lack of confidentially among health workers, limited number of psychosocial counselors and poor attitude of health workers. Client/community related barriers were; Fear of positive results, long waiting time and long distant to the HIV/AIDS treatment centers. Conclusion: In order to achieve the 90-90-90- target, the community and hospital related barriers to test and treat strategy need to be addressed by improving the services rendered and also to scale up sensitization on the importance of HIV testing and treatment.},
     year = {2022}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Barriers Associated with the Effective Implementation of the Universal Test and Treat Strategy of HIV/AIDS in Fako Division of Cameroon: A Qualitative Study
    AU  - Kah Emmanuel Nji
    AU  - Vincent Verla Siysi
    AU  - Nsagha Dickson Shey
    AU  - Che Frankline Anyiang
    AU  - Serge Ngekeng
    AU  - Ngowe Ngowe Marcelin
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    PY  - 2022
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    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220802.12
    T2  - International Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Education and Behavioural Science
    JF  - International Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Education and Behavioural Science
    JO  - International Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Education and Behavioural Science
    SP  - 55
    EP  - 60
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-5765
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijhpebs.20220802.12
    AB  - Introduction: Universal test and treat strategy of HIV/AIDS was introduced by The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in 2014. This was to scale up the attainment of the 90-90-90 target. This strategy only took effect in Cameroon in 2016. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify barriers that hinder the effective uptake of this approach following two years of implementation. Materials and methods: This was a qualitative study where 8 focus group discussions were conducted among community members and 25 in-depth interviews among HIV patients, clinicians and coordinators of HIV/AIDS treatment centers. The study was carried out in 8 randomly selected communities within the 4 health districts of Fako division of Cameroon. Data was collected on demographic characteristics and barriers that hinder the effective implementation of test and treat strategy. The data was analyzed using Nvivo 11. Results: The identified barriers were grouped into 2 themes. Health service related barriers and client/community related barriers: Health service related barriers were: Frequent drugs stockout, unavailability of HIV test kids, lack of work space to provide services to client, lack of confidentially among health workers, limited number of psychosocial counselors and poor attitude of health workers. Client/community related barriers were; Fear of positive results, long waiting time and long distant to the HIV/AIDS treatment centers. Conclusion: In order to achieve the 90-90-90- target, the community and hospital related barriers to test and treat strategy need to be addressed by improving the services rendered and also to scale up sensitization on the importance of HIV testing and treatment.
    VL  - 8
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Public Health and Hygiene, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon

  • Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon

  • Department of Public Health and Hygiene, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon

  • Department of Public Health and Hygiene, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon

  • Department of Public Health and Hygiene, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon

  • Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon

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