Safeguarding the household: A Study of HIV Antiretroviral Therapy Treatment Strategies Appropriate for a Resource Poor Country
Project one is a randomized, controlled, community-based trial of methods to implement antiretroviral therapy in a resource poor setting at a primary care facility with trained primary health care personnel other than doctors.
Specifically, it will test whether a first line antiretroviral therapy regimen, administered at a primary health care level monitored by primary health care sisters (investigative arm), is equivalent to a doctor monitored treatment (control arm), as measured by cumulative treatment failure rate. Both arms are supported by a research site coordinator and a pharmacist.
Once one adult member of the household has been identified as HIV positive, partner disclosure and household disclosure will be encouraged, to provide counselling, testing and treatment access to the other members of the household who meet treatment criteria.
The project has been established and is run in partnership with the Provincial Department of Health.
