Despite indications of the acceptability of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) among certain populations (MSM in London (STI/Aghaizu & Nardone) 2013, and Australia (STI/Holt & De Wit) 2012), the extremely varied results that have emanated from large studies seeking to determine its efficacy and effectiveness as a preventative intervention remain a concern. To name the most important […]
Category: Implementation research
Cultural constraints on the uptake of voluntary medical male circumcision in Eastern and Southern Africa
My previous blog spoke of the recent PLoS-Medicine Collection on the progress of a UNAIDS initiative for a five-year scale-up of Voluntary Male Medical Circumcision (VMMC) for HIV prevention in 14 high priority Eastern and Southern African countries. Among the papers, Ashengo & Njeuhmeli (A&N) and Macintyre & Bertrand (M&B) deal with what the authors […]
The roll-out of UNAIDS voluntary medical male circumcision programmes in sub-Saharan Africa: Is it working?
Voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) has been demonstrated to reduce HIV acquisition by 60% or more. WHO and UNAIDS have recommended that VMMC form a part of comprehensive HIV prevention programming in regions of high prevalence, such as sub-Saharan Africa. Mathematical modelling suggests that the achievement of 80% VMMC coverage within 5 years in 14 […]
Responding appropriately to differentials in HIV care outcomes – are local answers needed?
The recent discovery of the preventative potential of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) (STIs/blog/modelling ART impact) throws into sharp relief the challenge represented for the US by the very inadequate proportion of its 1.2 million HIV+ citizens (<30%) who are virally suppressed. Nunn & Mayer use new geographical mapping tools to bring home forcibly the epidemiological dimension […]
Sustained health systems strengthening holds the key to prevention of mother-to-child transmission of syphilis
Half a million still-births annually are due to syphilis in pregnancy – deaths that could be averted by means of a single dose of penicillin. An important project, reported in PLoS Medicine by Mabey, Peeling et al., to introduce point-of-care syphilis tests (POCTs) at ante-natal clinics (ANCs) in six countries, has resulted in all six […]