PATH’s research on differentiated care in the Democratic Republic of the Congo recognized at the 2019 International AIDS Conference on HIV Science
Yesterday at the 2019 International AIDS Conference on HIV Science (IAS 2019), PATH was announced as a recipient of the International AIDS Society/Merck Sharpe & Dohme Prize for Operational and Implementation Research in Differentiated Service Delivery in recognition of outstanding research in differentiated service delivery.
PATH was awarded the prize for a study looking at the effectiveness of client-centered HIV treatment distribution models in retaining people living with HIV on treatment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). PATH introduced and is expanding three models for differentiated care services in the southeastern corner of the DRC under the Integrated HIV/AIDS Project in Haut Katanga and Lualaba, funded by the United States President’s Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief through the United States Agency for International Development. Results from the study highlighted that people living with HIV who transferred to a differentiated care model had better retention in care and were more likely to be virally suppressed than those who opted to remain in a traditional care model.
PATH has worked to reduce the impact of HIV since the beginning of the epidemic, working in 32 countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and North America since 1987. Together with our partners, we have tested more than 10,200,000 people for HIV, enrolled more than 258,000 individuals on treatment, and delivered HIV prevention services to more than 10,950,000 at-risk individuals. As the world pushes forward towards HIV epidemic control, PATH is leveraging cutting-edge approaches and driving equitable access to client-centered tools and services, including rapidly scaling models for differentiated HIV testing, treatment, and prevention services.
Dr. Kimberly Green, Director of PATH’s HIV/TB Program, notes “PATH is honored to have been selected as a winner of the IAS/MSD Prize for Operational and Implementation Research in Differentiated Service Delivery and recognized for our efforts to expand differentiated HIV services. The recent UNAIDS’ Global AIDS Update showed mix progress towards global HIV epidemic control, with slackened pace in reducing new HIV infections, increasing treatment access, and ending AIDS-related deaths. Scaling client-centered delivery models and offering individuals a menu of options for accessing HIV prevention, testing, and treatment are imperative to regaining momentum and getting us back on track to achieve HIV epidemic control by 2030.”
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About PATH
PATH is a global organization that works to accelerate health equity by bringing together public institutions, businesses, social enterprises, and investors to solve the world’s most pressing health challenges. With expertise in science, health, economics, technology, advocacy, and dozens of other specialties, PATH develops and scales solutions—including vaccines, drugs, devices, diagnostics, and innovative approaches to strengthening health systems worldwide. Learn more at http://www.path.org/.