Medical and Health Sciences

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Browsing Medical and Health Sciences by Author "Etima-Kizito, Monica"

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    Handbook on Counselling and Psychosocial Care for Children and Adolescents Living with and Affected by HIV in Africa
    (African Network for the Care of Children Affected by HIV/AIDS – ANECCA, 2013) Nasaba, Rosemary; Tindyebwa, Denis; Musiime, Victor; Iriso, Robert; Ingabire, Resty; Nansera, Denis; Etima-Kizito, Monica; Kasule, Joseylee; Duffy, Malia
    In 2013, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) proposed the ambitious “fasttrack” goals to end the global HIV epidemic by 2030, including reducing new HIV infections among children and adolescents from 500,000 annually to 200,000 annually (2014). Donor- and countrydriven investments have dramatically strengthened the HIV response around the world. Despite these major commitments and advances, HIV incidence is on the rise in young people; and in Africa, AIDS remains a leading cause of death in adolescents. The proportion of HIV-positive children and adolescents receiving HIV services, including ART, has also continued to lag well behind that of adults. Evidence of this gap from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that 52% of children compared to 59% of adults were on ART in 2017 (2018). Controlling the epidemic, within countries and globally, must include preventing, testing for, and treating HIV in children and adolescents, including addressing psychosocial issues experienced by these populations to enhance their ability to manage the disease and live positively. To improve access to HIV services, several African countries have decentralised HIV care to primary health facilities. However, health care providers (HCPs) in many primary care settings do not have access to up-to-date clinical resources to build their knowledge so they can provide comprehensive HIV care for children and adolescents. HIV care for children and adolescents is complex, and requires not only addressing their medical needs, but also caring for their psychological wellbeing— to keep them healthy, retain them in care, and enable them to live positively. HCPs often have limited skills to counsel and provide psychosocial support (PSS) to children and adolescents living with HIV. While there have been specific in-service training courses designed to address this challenge, high staff turnover reduces their impact. The Handbook on Counselling and Psychosocial Care for Children and Adolescents Living with and Affected by HIV in Africa seeks to address this gap and serves as a comprehensive reference to provide HCPs with practical information to provide effective counselling and PSS for children and adolescents living with and affected by HIV.